Wild Ride: Lance and Tammy (15 page)

Lance kept his hand around her waist feigning possessiveness while they moved through the crowd. She wasn’t worried about anything as long as he was near.  Her mother kept her distance after the brief introduction most likely due to her embarrassment from the night before. Her father tried to spend more time with her, but whenever he seemed to spend too much time, her mother’s shrill voice called him away.

Tammy had a few more drinks during dinner when she found out she was sitting beside Richard and Melanie again. It helped her cope with the leering stares. Again though, her mother insisted on meddling.  Yet, she hadn’t even spent more than a few seconds with her.  It was okay though.  It should have hurt, but she was relieved that the woman was busy making sure everything was running smoothly. She had to hand it to her, she sure knew how to throw a party. Thankfully Lance didn’t let her sit down too much and kept her distracted.  They spent most of the night dancing.

“How are you?”

He’d held her close during one of the slow songs and she felt like they were the only two in the world at that moment.  His voice was deep and soothing in her ear. His grip was strong, firm, and confident.  His muscular thighs rubbed against her bare legs repeatedly and it was hard to concentrate. Yet dancing with him honestly did relax her despite the distraction of his body.  It even took her a moment to register that he’d spoken.  Though, she didn’t know how she could have missed it. His voice was dripping with masculine sex appeal. “I’m actually having a good time. The wine has been helping,” she laughed softly.

He tightened his hold moving her closer and turned. “Good to hear.”  He bent his head so his mouth brushed her ear when he spoke next. “And you do have such a beautiful laugh.”

Gosh she was going to just melt. 

When he circled her around, she saw Melanie staring at them envious.  Yes, he was convincing, wasn’t he? In fact, he almost had her convinced.

Her eyes went to the other female spectators watching them with the same expression.  Lance was definitely something else to look at and he was attracting attention.  Yet, she was the one in his arms.  He did a fantastic job at playing the adoring fiancé, and she could have wept over the show he was putting on just to make her happy. He acted as if she was the only woman on earth, that he adored her explicitly. He hadn’t even spared a glance at any of the other women there, and there were some gorgeous women. There was no way she could possibly be more in love with this man at that moment. She closed her eyes shutting everything out while he moved her skillfully around the crowded dance floor. 

Before long, the bride and groom were being escorted to a white limousine for a sendoff on their romantic honeymoon.  Royce said he was taking her to Italy.  Anne and Royce both hugged and kissed Tammy before they left thanking her for coming and reminding her to phone more often. Royce shook Lance’s hand again telling him to make sure she did.

“I will. I promise.”

Royce seemed to be satisfied with that answer, blew his sister a kiss and got in the limousine.

The guests started leaving shortly after that, including her and Lance.  She sought out her mother and father to say goodbye.  Again George gave her a reserved hug and basically repeated what Royce said.  Her mother was still cool, but thanked her for coming.

“Thank you, Lance.” Tammy shut her eyes and leaned her head back against the plush head rest of the car seat. “This could have been so much worse, and I think I actually enjoyed myself.”

“You’re drunk.”

She could hear amusement in his voice.  She never drank like this, ever.  He was the first one to see her in this condition and for some reason he found it funny. She smiled without opening her eyes. “Yes, yes, I am.”  She rolled her head to look at him. “Did I do anything I might regret in the morning?”

He shook his head. His eyes were on her, amused and thoughtful.

“Good.”

“The night’s not over yet Tam,” he added in a husky voice.

She giggled and grinned. “Tsk Tsk councilor, are you trying to seduce me?”

He shook his head. “I told you, it’s up to you.”

At those words she shifted to turn her body toward him and he held up his hand stilling her movement.

“However, I don’t take advantage of inebriated women, even one as beautiful and adorable as you are at this moment.”

“Darn.  I blew my chance. I’m drunk enough to be brave.” Her smile grew.  She was feeling too good about herself to be insulted by his refusal.  Of course the flattering statement he followed it with was certainly helping.

His eyes went over her face, then dropped to the v-line of the material covering her breasts before meeting her eyes. “Although, you do make a tempting argument Miss Easler.”

She didn’t know what came over her, but she knew the liquor had a lot to do with it, when she slipped her bared leg over his lap and slowly moved herself on him. She could see his resistance crumbling and the light humor in his eyes darkening to passion.

Lance reached over and pushed a button to raise the partition between them and the driver as Tammy framed his stubbly jaw in her hands and kissed him.  He moved his hands up her bare thighs, cupped her bottom and pulled her abruptly against him. She gasped against his mouth at the sudden aggressive movement.

“Liquor or not, you are a brave girl,” he murmured, moving his mouth tenderly across hers. “Arousing a man like me could have consequences.”

“You said I have the power,” she whispered back while her hands moved down the material of his shirt at his chest.

“More than you know.” His face nuzzled the curve of her neck placing small soft kisses along her collarbone.

“You said I’d have to make the first move,” she whispered, tilting her head back giving him more room.

“Yes, darling, I did,” he whispered softly brushing his lips against the soft skin of her neck and she gasped again.

One of his hands curved to the small of her back as the other moved up cupping her head.  He tilted his to capture her mouth fully, hard, opening his mouth wide and thrusting his tongue between her full lips.  She moaned against him as her hands continued to explore the hard muscular contours of his body.  His mouth felt amazing on her flesh.  His tongue tantalized the contours of her lips, her mouth, and skillfully worked her own.  She moaned.

“Enough,” he said gently pulling her back from him.

She was breathing hard as their eyes met.  She wanted more, much more. It was easy to see the desire in her expression, and he did.

“I can’t Tam.  You’re too drunk.  I would if it wasn’t your first time, but someone needs to set the boundaries here.”

She suddenly started to doubt herself, but he corrected her as soon as her expression changed to reflect that.

“Before you think it, this isn’t a rejection.  I just don’t want you to wake up with regrets the next morning.  I can’t have that on my conscience.”

Her eyes searched his and she slowly nodded. Unconsciously her tongue traced her bottom lip.  He saw it and his breath hitched.  He closed his eyes briefly to regain his composure.  When he opened them, he was in control of his desires once more. “Besides darling, I want you to remember
everything
.”

Didn’t he realize that it would be memorable no matter how drunk she was?

Neither one of them went to move her off his lap.  After a long stretch she shifted, and his hand went to her thigh to stop her.  Her eyes met his again.

“Stay.”  He lifted his other hand and traced her cheek with two fingers.  Then he pulled her against him moving her head to his shoulder.  “I like the way you feel on me.”

“Me too,” she murmured into the curve of his neck.

***
CHAPTER FOUR

The next day she woke in her own bed, alone.  She vaguely remembered anything after the wedding the night before.  She sat up and groaned bringing her hand to her forehead as if that would still the pulsing pain at her temples.  She’d never been hung over a day in her life, but now she knew why.  It was really awful.  It felt like someone was swinging a sledge hammer against her head and her mouth felt like she’d chewed on a dry cactus. 

Light shone through the part in the curtains and it seemed to exacerbate the pain behind her eyes. “Oh lord, I’m a fool.” She slowly moved over, sat up on the side of the bed, touching her toes to the carpet and looked down.  She was wearing her nightgown.  Her fingers pinched the material as if it wasn’t real.  Who undressed her?  She shut her eyes trying to remember, but the room started to spin instead. She popped her eyes open.  No luck. Ah, so frustrating!  Last thing she remembered was shamelessly straddling a mocha-eyed Adonis.  Oh, God, she could just
die
of embarrassment! She rubbed her throbbing temples with her hands. Still, blurry images of her on his lap kept resurfacing. How could she possible do that? She looked up at the far wall and decided to shove it out of her mind.  She would go crazy thinking of how shameful she was. 
Argh
, who put her to bed? She stood up and went to the bathroom for a shower refusing to linger on that any longer.

A half an hour later she made her way to the kitchen where Mavis was. “Hi.”  She was massaging her temples again as she walked.

“Hello, did you want breakfast or lunch Miss Easler?” Mavis asked suppressing a smile.

“What time is it?” She never even thought to look at the clock in her room.  That must have been a first for her.  As a nurse she was addicted to her watch; when the doctor came, when symptoms began to show, when chest pain occurred, when atropine was given—everything.  In fact, she was certain she hadn’t checked the time all weekend.  She knew why.  She didn’t want to see the time go by while spending it with Lance.

“It’s two in the afternoon,” Mavis answered with her eyes laughing.

“Oh dear.”  No wonder she was so hungry.  “I’ll have lunch I guess.”

“Tea, coffee?”

“Water…lots of water.”

Mavis retrieved a glass and filled a pitcher before setting it in front of her. “I’ll make you something your stomach can handle.”

Tammy laughed, “Do I look that haggard?”

“Mr. Hartley told me you were into the sauce last night and take it easy on you,” Mavis chuckled.

“How considerate.” She smirked. 
Sauce?
  She might have actually laughed if her temples didn’t throb.

“He’s nothing but,” she answered with clear admiration in her tone while turning back to the counter. “How about a crab salad?”

“Sounds perfect.”  She spun in her stool and looked around the room.  “Is he here?”

“He stepped out for a bit.  He told me to let you know he’d be back before supper.”

She felt disappointment at missing him. She also wanted to know who undressed her and put her nightgown on.  She certainly wasn’t going to ask Mavis.  If it wasn’t her, which she was sure it wasn’t, she didn’t want the woman to know that Lance had done it and she couldn’t remember.

Mavis placed a bowl of salad in front of her. “Oh, and these.” She set two white tablets next to the bowl on the counter. “Mr. Hartley thought you could use some acetaminophen.”

“Thank you Mavis.” She smiled looking at the pills.  It was very considerate.

“You’re welcome.”  She wiped her hands on her apron.  “If you need me for anything, just holler, I’ve got housework to do.”

She felt the urge again to ask Mavis about who put her to bed, but her words failed her as the older woman left.  She was sure it wasn’t her and if she mentioned it, she’d be embarrassed to let the woman know it was Lance.  She would make sure to ask him instead. Her attention shifted to the salad. Tammy was quite famished.  She actually finished the large bowl.  It was really good. The lettuce was crisp and the crab fresh like she’d just gotten it from the sea a moment ago. She also drank half the pitcher of water.  She put her dirty dishes in the sink and walked back out to the great room. She looked around wondering what she could do for the next few hours.  First she would give Elaina a call like Lance promised she would.

“Tell me everything!”  Elaina’s voice screeched through the phone.

Tammy laughed at her friend’s excitement. “The wedding went well.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about, and you know it.”

“He’s been very kind.”

“What? Are you smoking something? Tammy, that’s so unfair it’s like you’re describing the weather.  Look, have you made any headway with him?  I mean it’s been so many years.  You’re worse than me, and I needed a swift kick in the butt to forgive myself and let Colt back in my life.  Please tell me you are taking this time and thinking about yourself for a change.”

“I kissed him,” she finally confessed sheepishly.

“
You
did?”

“Well, technically, he kissed me, but I think I did last night. Things are kind of foggy.  I drank too much.”

“Tammy, you drank?  What on earth is going on over there?” she laughed.

“I’m turning into a wild child.”

“I so glad to hear that!”

Tammy laughed this time.  “Some friend you are. You are supposed to be discouraging me not telling me to sin.”