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“Peach? Someone died in her family?” Her little jaw collapsed.
“God, no!” I scoffed. “One of her parishioners.”
“Oh, shit!” She placed a palm to her chest, expressing relief. “I really like Peach. She’s polite, unlike so many of her contemporaries.”
I gave her a hard stare. Marge-Jean loved fucking with me. But today, I wouldn’t take the bait.
“You leaving?” My father stood in the doorjamb of his office, my former office.
I straightened, pivoted to face him. “Yes, I am. I told you I’d be checking out early.”
“I was just coming to ask about this weekend. I want to invite a few people over. Maybe you can talk to Basil about adding a few more things to the menu.”
Marge-Jean’s face dropped to her lap and she pushed from her toes to have her chair roll closer to her computer. She, too, understood how frustrating my father could be.
Supplying a tight smile, I replied, “Daddy, I will not be in town this weekend. I’m leaving out in the morning.”
His eyes circled in the air, computing. “Oh! Your mother!”
I gave one affirmative nod. “That would be the event. I’m taking off early because amongst the gazillion things I have to do, having an early dinner with Noelle is one of them.”
His forehead wrinkled as he adjusted in his stance, the old intimidation tactic. “Who are you going toDellawith? Your sister?”
When I cocked my head to the side, a smile broke across his face.
I pivoted away. “Yeah. You want both your daughters dead, huhn, Noel.” I turned to Marge-Jean who shook her head, eyes ahead on her screen. “Expect that address within the hour.” Then I blew a kiss to my dad while striding away. “Do not forget to arrange for Noelle’s transportation this weekend. I’ll be tied up.”
“Wait,” he called behind me. “Who’s going with you?”
He, too, knew I didn’t brave my mother alone. “I’m covered,” was my only response.
The bathroom door opened and his gorgeous frame appeared. Jas was dressed in blue jeans and a simple long-sleeve tee-shirt. Those legs were long and thick and that chest broad beneath the cotton. His head and face recently groomed and his curious eyes on me as I squirmed in the tub beneath a sheet of bubbles. I’d been saturating and re-running hot water for an hour now, trying to soak off the anxiety of the impending weekend. Seeing Jas eased the knot in my belly.
“That looks tempting,” his coarse vocals produced.
“The garden tub with bubbles or me?”
“Always you. But…” He pushed his lips together, expressing a regretful mental debate, “now I’m confused about what to do.”
“What do you mean?”
“When Ines let me in, the scent of her food had my stomach rumbling. I decided I’d eat first. And now, seeing you laid out in there…”
“You’re confused about what to eat first?” Slowly, his head rocked up and down. “I don’t mind being the appetizer. I’ve been known to be your favorite dessert, too.”
“Word.” He continued to nod. “You damn sure are. How long you gone be in here?”
It was the end of a Friday, less than twenty-four hours before I’d see my rambunctious mother. This tub had served as my hub, my safety corner in the ring before the battle.
I shrugged, not feeling as strong and secure as I’d liked to. Hating the way I couldn’t articulate my feelings of fear to Jas. I needed him for the pre-show. I wanted his arms around me and his deep, husky comforting voice showering away my stupid anxiety. I needed him, just knowing he’d shown up tonight to fly out with me in the morning would do. Jas was my lodestar. My peace of mind had arrived.
He stretched, arms pushing over his head as he yawned without knowledge of his superior features: roasted chestnut skin, pentagonal-shaped face, incredibly thick brows, round smooth lips with a slightly pronounced cupid’s bow, and that tapered manicured goatee. And I knew of the hidden wonders beneath his clothing.
I needed him…in some capacity now.
“Let me at least kiss you hello,” he mumbled on his way to me as though reading my mind.
My torso and chin lifted in anticipation while he was in pursuit. His scent hit me first. The familiar notes warming my belly then shooting out to my limbs. My heart. Leaning over my garden tub, he reached me, taking me at the side of my face with the beautiful possession he always did now. First his soft lips pecked mine. I allowed the innocent gesture twice before opening my mouth and darting my tongue, demanding more. Needing more.
