Was it Good for You Too? (6 page)

Tailan shook her head, even as her belly roared to life in blatant protest.

The sound reached Delvin's ears, and he smirked. “I think you need to eat something.”

She hadn't in days. The cafeteria had been cleared for the summer, and almost everything was locked up and out of reach. What little she was able to gather up had been stretched out over that summer, lasting until two days ago.

“Here,” he said, holding the sandwich even closer.

She looked at the tempting meal and suddenly gave in.

“I made it this morning,” he said as she took a bite and tried to smother a grateful moan. “Shouldn't be too bad. I used Miracle Whip.”

Trying not to inhale the sandwich, Tailan slowed down and tossed a smile to Delvin. “I like Miracle Whip.”

He passed her a bag of chips, then reached inside again and pulled out a pack of orange Hostess cupcakes. “We're going to have to split these. They're my favorite.”

Tailan took another bite of her sandwich, followed by a few chips. Still leery of his motives and cautious, she kept her gaze fixed on him. He glanced up at her and winked, and before she knew it, she was returning a genuine grin.

“Practice started yesterday?” she asked around a mouthful of food.

“They had us come in early,” he replied with a shrug. “They want us to go to State finals this time.”

Delvin stayed silent as they ate their meal. Eventually his eyes shifted to a paint splattered throw cloth Tailan had schlepped over from art class. Her bed. Now that her stomach wasn't growling, embarrassment crept in.

“You can't stay here,” he said. “You know that, right?”

She looked away, hating that he confirmed what she had felt earlier in the week. More sounds, more movement in the hallway. For the majority of the summer there had been none. Only her in the entire building. Safety. Pure safety.

“They're starting to prep the school for the new year,” he warned. “People are going to be everywhere. Someone else is going to find you.” He gestured to the door. “I just came in here for a break after practice and to eat my lunch. But there'll be janitors and teachers coming around soon.”

Tailan looked out to the empty classroom seats and realized her peaceful time was going to come to an end. She felt her face fall. All summer, she had been reasonably all right. No threat of being attacked or raped by her depraved uncle. And no doubt he and her aunt were on the lookout for her. Dear God, what kind of sick family had her mother come from?

She personally never wanted to learn the answer to that question.

“I have no place to go,” she admitted solemnly, keeping her eyes forward. “My parents died a few months ago. My father's people don't want me. My mother's family is … they're … I … they …”

Tailan flinched as Delvin's hand covered hers. Her eyes shot to his, to his hand over hers, then back to his face. She saw no lust in his deep dark eyes, only comfort as he said, “You can come home with me.”

Her heart rate sped up, and she snatched her hand away. Tailan threw off his jacket and backed away from him.

The horror she witnessed in his startled expression shocked her.

“No, I'm not talking about that,” Delvin promised. Again he threw up his hands, trying to explain. “I'll sleep on the floor, and you can have my bed. We'll have to sneak you in after my parents go to sleep, but they travel a lot.”

Tailan blinked and blinked again as his offer took root in her brain. A soft bed instead of a hard floor? Food?
Real
food? Safety? Maybe. Oh, and a bathroom with real mirrors to see her reflection. Tailan had no delusions about her appearance. She accepted the fact that she must look a hot mess.

His offer was too good to be real. She could hardly wrap her mind around it. And yet, she was tired. So tired of always being afraid. Tailan wore her terror like a second skin, and that extra coating wouldn't allow her to hope. Even with him.

“I'll be all right,” she insisted as she absently brushed her hair with her hand. “I can find my own way.”

Delvin reached out to glide a finger across her cheek, and she froze. “You're going to have to trust somebody at some point.”

Tailan pulled away from his touch. “Why should it be you?”

Delvin's eyebrow shot up. “‘Cause I shared my cupcakes with you.” He lifted his chin arrogantly. “And I don't share my orange cupcakes with just anybody. Chocolate maybe,” he shrugged. “But orange …”

The haughty look on Delvin's face was too comical. A whimsical laugh found Tailan, and she gave in to it. After a few moments, a wave of embarrassment flamed her face. She looked down at their entwined fingers and the orange cupcake in her other hand. She could not remember how the second one ended up there.

“Taking the last cupcake, that's like being engaged or something.” Delvin softened his words with a smile.

So many bad things had bulldozed over her life. To finally receive a little comfort was too much. The waterworks started, and she couldn't turn them off. Tears rained down her cheeks. Gasping groans of deep-seated agony consumed her. And for the first time, she accepted strength from another.

Delvin wrapped her in his arms, and she went to him, too depleted to do anything else. His warm body was just the pillow she needed. His cotton shirt, a welcomed tissue for her tears. His powerful, protective arms, her only shelter from the dark shadows.

Tailan relaxed in his arms as the tears receded. She wanted to trust him. She wanted to trust
someone
. But with what she had been through, she didn't know how.

Abruptly, Delvin stood and extended his hand. “Get up. You're coming with me.”

She hesitated several moments before collecting her belongings and doing as he asked.

“I promise,” he said softly as they made their way from the classroom, “you'll be all right. You'll always be all right.”

Chapter 7

Delvin needed to regroup. Tailan's effect on him was more than he could handle. To be so intimately close to her and not be able to hold her, touch her, make love to her, was pure torture. But a wall was between them now—a wall he had built with his bad choices.

Well, if he built it, then he could tear it down.

Delvin tracked her steps to the bus and followed. As the pendulum of her full hips hypnotized him with every step, his mind returned to the first time he had boldly and publically declared his never-ending love for her—a declaration that was the beginning of the end of his fake marriage to Gabrielle.

Delvin was startled when Gabrielle slipped into the seat next to him at the Dolby Theatre. He had deliberately neglected to invite anyone to join him. So how his wife had managed to locate the ticket and finagle her way in was beyond comprehension.

“Why are you here?” he said through his teeth.

She waved off his concern with a dismissive hand. “People will think it's strange if your loving wife isn't by your side, won't they?” She gave him a sugary-sweet smile that told him she had planned this all along.

“Ladies and Gentlemen,” the announcer started. Delvin shifted his focus toward the stage. “Please welcome Natalie Portman.”

The applause was thunderous.

“Good evening,” she started. “Tonight I present five outstanding performances for best male actor in a leading role. And the nominees are …”

“Darling,” Gabrielle whispered over to him. “The whole world will know that you're the greatest, and that I'm the luckiest woman in the world to be married to you.”

Delvin slid her a baleful glance, still angered that she had stolen his “plus one” ticket from his carriage house and had come of her own accord. The seat next to him was supposed to remain vacant, a sign that only he and one other person would understand. “The odds favor Matthew McConaughey,” he reminded her.

“Your performance was soooo much better. Now, remember,” she said, stroking his arm like a hissing snake, “I left you a little note about your acceptance speech. Had it all written out for you.”

Delvin gave her a look that he hoped conveyed his annoyance. “I will—”

“And the Academy Award goes to…”—he shifted his focus back to the stage—”Delvin Germaine!”

The crowd exploded with applause. Gabrielle screamed and jumped from her seat. Delvin lowered his head and said a silent prayer of thanks. This win was nothing short of a miracle. Like most others, he had expected Matthew McConaughey to take the honor. He rose from his seat and greeted the audience with a wave before giving Gabrielle a timid hug.

Finally, the moment had come. He headed to the stage and over to the podium where Natalie presented him with the coveted trophy.

They exchanged congratulatory hugs and a kiss, and he turned to the audience.

“First, I want to thank God for giving me life and so many wonderful opportunities.” He paused to let the applause fade away. “I want to thank the academy and the other four nominees tonight. To be in a group of such distinguished gentlemen humbles me. There are so many people I want to thank. There are just too many to name but …” Then he grimaced before saying, “All right … my parents, Anna and Delvin Senior; my agent, Katie; and my lawyer, Maurice. They would not let me live it down if I didn't mention them.”

The members of the audience laughed.

“But if you will allow me, I do want to take an extra moment to thank someone special.” He looked directly into the camera and lifted the award. “To the one and only love of my life. Tai, I never thought I'd be accepting this without you by my side. I love you. I will always love you, and I will never stop loving you. This”—he lifted the Oscar higher—”is for you.” He blew the camera a kiss. “Thank you.” He left the stage with Natalie on his arm.

The screen near the off-stage area showed the cameras had panned to Gabrielle, who fumed with humiliation. The applause trickled down, and the whispers started. He smiled as he cleared the stage, already knowing what the world was thinking—who the hell was this “Tai” he was talking about?

Fueled by that memory, Delvin ate up the distance between them. Before Tailan approached the group, he grabbed her hand and pulled her to him. “I'm sorry.” His thumb massaged the inside of her wrist. “So sorry for hurting you.” He searched her sad eyes for a hint that he was reaching her.

“Do you know how much pressure I have on me right now?” Tailan seethed. “I don't have time for this.”

Delvin squeezed her hand a little tighter. “I'll take your anger. I'll take your resentment, I'll take anything you throw at me.” He pulled her deeper into his body, their breaths mingling as he said, “But I am not backing down.”

He would've kissed her right then and there if a busload of eyes were not watching their every move with open interest.

Tailan's lids dipped and zeroed in on his mouth. He didn't move.

“Well it's about time.” They looked over to Pam, and Delvin shrugged at her knowing grin. Obviously she felt the smoldering heat rising between them and decided to dampen it. “I was about to put out an APB on you,” she teased. “You know we're on tour right?”

Joyce peered over Pam's shoulder and added, “We could stop by the adult toy store and start y'all off right.”

“Forget both of you,” Tailan shot back with a chuckle and followed Pam onto the bus. “What do you know about adult toys?” she asked Joyce.

“Baby, I wasn't always sixty-five,” she replied, patting her short-cropped hair. “This old girl's still got a lot of living to do.” She leaned in and whispered. “And she's going to have a lot of fun doing it.”

Tailan laughed as she made it to the top of the steps and faced the group.

Applause rang out from the crowd, causing Tailan to give them a mock bow before sashaying down the aisle to her normal spot near her team at the back of the bus.

Delvin took the seat beside her, then as an afterthought asked, “You don't mind if I sit here, right?”

“Yes, I do mind.”

“Too late now.” He stretched out his long legs. “I'm comfortable.”

“It's hard to miss that with you plastered all over me,” she quipped, frowning as Delvin curled into her lap, looked up at her, then released a playful, but happy sounding snore.

“You start doing that and I'm rolling you to the floor.”

Delvin had missed her sassy ways. “Now you know I'm just playing.”

“I haven't been with you enough to know that.” Her eyes always spoke deeper than her words. Delvin saw hurt there. Hurt he had planted so long ago.

His smile vanished. “I'd like to change that.”

“I'm trying to read,” she said, cracking open a romance novel. “I'd be finished with Brenda's book by now if you hadn't come along.”

Delvin cuddled into her breasts and looked up at her, letting her see all the love he had for her there.

Tailan gasped, cleared her throat, and quickly looked away.

Delvin knew this tour was make or break for Tailan. It was a bold move all across the board. Her fears and concerns about its success were justified. He knew her better than anyone. She would be devastated if this venture tanked. Tailan was a fighter, but Delvin could tell by the determined set of her face that she was overwhelmed at the moment and clearing her thoughts by plunging into the fictional world. He would have to find a way to lure her in and help her get this tour to the finish line.

He studied her profile while she was lost in Brenda's latest book. So much about Tailan was still the same, but Delvin couldn't ignore that she was also very different now. She was a grown woman for one. She was older, wiser, and stronger.

In their early years, Tailan shared the horrors of her family life. The cruel and sudden death of her parents and her brothers. The twisted sexual predator known as her Uncle Lin. The depravity of the rest of her mother's family. At the beginning, Delvin had tempered his attraction to her with tireless care. It was a habit he knew he would now have to practice again. Tailan wasn't going to just let him slide back in. She had too many scars buried beneath the exotic face she presented to the world.