Page 23 of After Care

“I won’t force myself in, but I need your mother.” Something in his voice swelled my heart. I’d been in this position before. I knew too well the lies a man told when he was drinking, but Tommy seemed different. Oh, the lies we tell ourselves as women. I stepped forward, patting Caleb on the back before pushing Tommy into the hallway, which was an open balcony.

“Just give me a minute,” I said to Caleb while I peered at Tommy. The door closed behind me, but remained slightly open by the deadbolt catch, my children waiting on the other side of the panel.

“What do you think you are doing?” I snapped, trying to keep my voice lowered in case any neighbors heard the commotion. If Caleb was home, it had to be after two in the morning.

“I need you,” he whispered. “Just sleep. Scout’s honor.” He lazily crossed his heart then attempted to hold up two fingers. He wasn’t sloppy drunk, but he was struggling.

“My ex-husband was an alcoholic, Tommy. I’m not going anywhere with you.” The comment brought Tommy’s head up, and he stood taller. David hadn’t ever been able to admit it, but he drank excessively.

“Darlin’,” he said, and I hated the effect that name had on me. My insides curled. My heart skipped a beat, and my head warned me. “It’s nothing like that.”

I heard noise behind me, and I spun to find Masie with my phone and my room key held out for me.

“Maybe you should just walk him back to his room,” she suggested. I couldn’t read the expression on her face, but I feared she thought there would be a scene. She’d witnessed a few in her years, and I couldn’t put her through it again. Not here. Not when this was supposed to be a vacation from such things.

I smiled weakly, trying to assure her with my eyes that I wasn’t frightened, and I’d be back soon. She closed the door on me before I remembered I didn’t have on any shoes. I wore only a T-shirt dress as a nightshirt.

“All right, Tommy, lead the way,” I demanded, a bit irritated.

“You don’t have shoes,” he said, looking down at my feet. “I like your purple nail polish,” he added, noting the pedicure I’d given myself. “It’s a much better color than green.”

I rolled my eyes and started walking, hoping the movement away from my door would prompt him to follow me. It did, and we walked in silence down the balcony hallway to the stairwell and then down to the lobby. We rode the elevator up to his floor in the main hotel and he led me to his room. I stood outside as he fumbled with his key. Leaning against the wall, I waited while he opened the door. He paused once he had it open, pressing his body along the door jamb. Half his body was in the room, the other half in the hallway.

“Why’d you kiss me like that?” he asked, his eyes meeting mine and then falling to my bare feet again.

I shrugged. “I didn’t like how they teased you.”

“They were only playing, darlin’, but I’m not going to lie, no one stands up for me.” My eyes searched his face, and I saw what I described to them. He had sad eyes that held in tears. He had a strong heart to keep theirs happy. He did everything for the band, everything for Ivy. Tommy Carrigan had a solid, outer shell, but I wanted to know more about what lay underneath.

“I didn’t mean to embarrass you. I’m so sorry,” I said, and his head shot upward.

“You didn’t embarrass me. Fuck, I wanted to beat my chest and claim you as my woman.”

I stared at him, my eyes too dry to blink. He couldn’t be serious, despite the caveman-ness of calling me woman.

“I…”

“And that kiss, Edie.” He paused, biting his lip before letting the plump lushness spring free. “I felt that kiss in my toes. To the ends of my hair. In my…” He rubbed his zipper.

“You’re drunk,” I laughed, feeling a little tipsy myself just looking at him. I shook my head. I couldn’t deal with drunk, but he was sexy.

“On you, Edie,” he said. “Only on you.” He paused, staring me down, roaming over my nightshirt to my bare legs and back up again. “Come inside, darlin’.”

“I shouldn’t,” I said, standing my ground as I pressed off the wall.

“But you want to,” he added.

“I can’t,” I stated, twisting my ankle and letting my toe drag on the cool carpeting.

“But you could,” he teased, lifting his chin. “Just sleep, Edie. I promise. I don’t trust myself with what I drank, but I want you to trust me enough to know I’d never take advantage of you. Not like this.” He paused, lowering his eyes.

“I just want to be close to you,” he admitted. “No one’s ever talked like that about me, and I just want to capture it for a little while. I want to hold onto it, if I can. For just a little bit.” I stared at him and the brick wall of defense I tried to use against him crumbled. I took a deep breath, loosened my crossed arms, and stepped forward.

His wide eyes proved I surprised him, but he readily stepped back, allowing me entrance to his room.

6

Jive Talkin’, or rather dancing