Wrong Way Renee (32 page)

“Sure,
”
Becky said.
“What's up?”

“I'd like to run another ad to rent out the last chair. If we can find someone, maybe we could hire a part time receptionist.
Another renter will
really help with our bills since things have been pretty tight.
What do you think?
”

“Okay with me.”

“Great.
”
That was easy.
“Have you set anything up for J
ustin to meet your family yet?”

“We're working on it. I think it'll be in a couple of weeks. I told Charles all about it. He said he'd like to meet him too. That made me feel really good.
”
She
smiled dreamily
.
“I think I'm in love.
”

Renee hugged her friend.
“I'm
so happy for you, Beck
.
”
She wished her own love life were as uncomplicated as her friend's.

After lunch,
sh
e
checked the thermostat because
the shop seemed too warm
. The air conditioner was set on seventy degrees, but the temperature was almost eighty. She went out back to look at the unit. It wasn't running.

She flipped the circuit breaker, but the unit still didn't come on. Her next move was to call the repair company, always a costly experience. After discussing it with Becky, they decided they had no other choice. Neither woman knew anyone who could fix an air conditioner.

A repairman arrived three hours later. By then, everyone in the shop was uncomfortable. All the ceiling fans were going at full speed, as well as two big floor fans, but the constant use of hair dryers and curling irons sent the temperature soaring.

Finally, the air clicked on. The repairman declared the unit fixed. The bad news was that he had to replace a major part, thus the bill came to seven hundred dollars.

There
went
the
receptionist idea
. She wanted to cry. Why couldn't she ever get ahead?
What else could go wrong?

* * * * *

“
Cleave
's making us lots of money, Renee. He'll be a partner in no time at all,
”
Gary said over drinks
at Renee’s parents’ house Friday night
.

The whole family was there. They'd even invited Cleave. They all seemed infinitely pleased that
they
were dating, yet they still felt the need to extol Cleave's attributes. She wished it were Joe here instead of Cleave. Guilt panged at her heart for the thought.

“Put your
money where your mouth is, Gary,
”
Cleave
teased.

“Renee, have you seen
Cleave
's boat?
”
Her mother quirked an eyebrow at her.

“Yes,
Mama
, I have.
”
Sh
e rolled her eyes.

“I hear
he’
s teaching you to play golf.
”
Her father puffed out his chest.

“We're still working on driving the cart.
”
Cleave
grinned
at Renee.

Gary J
unior ran into the room.
“Can't get me, can't get me.”

Alyssa was hot on his trail.

Cleave
grab
bed
the child
and slung
him over his shoulder
as Gary Junior screamed and giggled. “I've got you now”

The boy struggled
to no avail. Alyssa caught up with him and jumped up to try to reach her brother.

“Sorry, Alyssa. I got him first.
”

For a moment, Alyssa just stood there looking up. Then she clenched her fists and kicked
Cleave
in the shin. He was so surprised that he nearly dropped Gary Junior. He put the boy down and Alyssa got her chance to tag her brother as they ran off.

“Alyssa!
”
Char
shouted. But it was too late. T
he child was gone.

“Resourceful little thing.
”
Cleave
rubbed
his shin.

“Never underestimate a Wright woman.
”
Renee grinned at him. He was such a good sport. He even seemed to like her niece and nephew, rotten as they were.

“I'll take that under advisement.
”
He matched her gaze and smiled.

Renee’s
body warm
ed
. She didn't know if it was the gin and tonic or
Cleave
, but maybe she was starting to develop feeling for him
.

As they were leaving the Wright home,
he
asked her to stop by his house to s
ee how his new antiques looked.
“I need your expert eye
.”

She knew it was a ploy, but she agreed and followed him to Woodland Heights. Her heart pounded and her mouth was dry
. Every time they were alone together lately he tried to talk her into his bed but she just wasn’t ready.

After they arrived at his house,
h
e
got them each
another drink
.
Then they
headed upstairs to view the new bedroom furniture.

Hands on her hips, she surveyed the room
.
“It looks great
. I'm so pleased. But the important thing is how do you like it. It’s your house after all.”

“I like what I see. A lot.”

When she glanced at him, she realized his gaze was fixed on her, not his new furniture.

He closed the distance between them and took her hands in his. “I want to make love to you, Renee. Tonight.”

Her heart pounded. Wasn’t as if he was some ugly troll. Hell, half her friends would give their right arm for a man like
him
. He was exactly the sort of guy Toy called a prize.
But something didn’t click for her
, not yet
.
“I need more time
.”

He dropped her hands and bristled. “How long am I supposed to wait? I want you here with me, living in my house, sleeping in my bed. I’m prepared to do whatever it takes to make that happen.”
An edge of impatience tinged his tone.
He grazed his knuckles over her cheek.

She
drew a breath laced with his scent. He toyed with the collar of her blouse, then opened the top button.
She shut her eyes and let him continue.

“
You’re so pretty
.” Then his hands were on her and his mouth.

She thought about stopping him but what was the point?
Hadn’t Becky said her feeling for Charles had bloomed when they
slept together the first time?

He
led her to the bed,
pulled her onto his lap
and smoothed
her hair away from her face. He kissed her deeply. She tried to summon hers.
But when she
close
d her eyes
all she saw was Joe. His caresses grew increasingly more urgent. She got up
off his lap and lay on the bed. All she had
to do was pretend to be with Joe
.
No, that wasn’t right. And it was dishonest in a way.

“I want you, Renee.
”
He pulled off his shoes, then removed his shirt.

He was more muscular than she'd imagined. She tried to think of all the sweet things he'd done for her. As he sidled next to her on the bed, the faint smell of Polo cologne drifted to her. She breathed it in. Suddenly her clothes were too restrictive, so she pulled her shirt over her head and slid off her pants.

Cleave
ran his hands along her arm, her hip, her buttocks, pulling her body against his. The intensity of his desire
nudged her libido back to life
. He cupped her breast, tugged on her nipple, sending chills through her.

He stripped off his pants and
dropped them onto the floor in the otherwise immaculate room.
She
pulled down the covers and slipped underneath
since she wasn’t comfortable being completely naked in front of him yet. Too bad she hadn’t continued with her workouts
. She took off her
underwear and tossed it across the room
.

“Reckless abandon,
”
h
e
said.
“I love that about you.
”
He moved underneath the sheets with her, positioning his body on top of hers. She bent her legs, pinning him against her
.

His
erection
pressed against her thigh.
“I love you, Renee
.”

She
couldn't say it, didn't feel it, not
yet. She said nothing, but ran her nails lightly along his ready
hard-on
.

He gasped.
“I'll explode if I don't make love to y
ou this second.
”
His
voice
was
low but urgent.
He pressed his mouth to hers, taking, tasting and exploring.

She opened to him, let him settle his body between her legs. He rocked against her as he kissed her neck and shoulders.
Then he grabbed a condom from the night stand and rolled it on.

When he entered
her, she flinched.
He thrust into her so deeply she nearly screamed in pain.

She squeezed her eyes shut and
saw
Joe. And i
t felt good, having him inside of her. She rocked against him, clutching his shoulders.

“Renee.”
Cleave’s
voice tore her out of her fantasy.

He
was her future, not Joe, not anymore.
He moaned and she watched the pleasure wash over his body
as he stroked over and over
.
Finally, he grunted his release then collapsed on top of her.

“I’ll take care of you after I rest.”
A few minutes later he was asleep.

Sh
e lay next him, but never slept.
Staring
at the ceiling,
she memorized
the pattern of the crown molding. It should have been Joe.

* * * * *

“My last manicure lasted almost two weeks. I was so pleased.
”
Naomi slid into the chair opposite Renee's
Tuesday morning
.

“Glad to hear that.
”
Renee
yearned
to bring up Joe, but didn't want to sound
like
she was pumping Naomi for information.
“H
ow's Wyatt?”

“He's great. Work
ed
all weekend. So
I did
some time with my
mom
.
”
She wrinkled her nose.

“I feel your pain.
”
Sh
e worked silently for a few minutes, trying to think of an opening to discuss Joe.
“I guess we won't b
e double dating any time soon.”

Naomi raised her brow, but said nothing.

“I'm sorry. I don't mean to make you uncomfortable
.”

“No, no, you're not.
”
Naomi
darted her gaze
around the room.

“Has Wyatt heard from Joe?
”
She couldn’t help herself.

Naomi sighed, shifting in her seat.
“A few days ago, I think.”

“
Did he say anything about me?
”
She sat up straighter, waiting for any crumb.

“I really don't know, Renee. Can we talk about something else?
”

Dead end.
Sh
e slumped as she buffed her client's nails. She completed the manicure mostly in silence, occasionally making small talk.

Hours later,
a woman called the
shop, asking to speak to Renee.

“I'm calling in response to your ad. You're looking for a hairdresser?
”
she inquired.

“Yes, we are.”