Bombshell (8 page)

The mad scientist, played by an utterly delightful Englishman, staggered menacingly toward Carlotta, stalked her until her back was against the cold cinderblock wall, and wrapped his huge hands around her delicate neck.

“Aw, no, are you gonna die?” Calaway asked with pure dread in his voice. “Glory be, I can’t look.”

“Me neither. That gown is just atrocious.”

Suddenly the hero burst through the door, determined to save Carlotta from her hellish fate at the hands of a madman. Annalee glanced over at Sheriff Calaway, who was shadow-boxing along with the hero, and nearly burst out laughing.

Onscreen, the enemy defeated, Carlotta and her lover shared a passionate kiss.

Calaway’s enthusiasm melted into a grouchy frown. “Did they have to go and show
that
?”

****

Sheriff Calaway held his umbrella over Annalee’s head as he walked her to the door at the Steamboat Inn. His goodnight kiss was as warm and welcome as the summer rain.

“So am I better at singing or acting?” she asked.

“Both. Can’t say I cared much for that fella kissin’ you, though.”

Annalee took hold of his hand and toyed with his fingertips. “Why, John Calaway, I never took you for the jealous type!”

“Well, I am,” he grumbled.

“If it makes you feel any better, Dick Webster doesn’t like girls.”

“Huh?”

“He’s a sweet fella, but he played a nasty trick on me and ate garlic and onions before we shot that scene, just so I wouldn’t fall madly in love with him.” She slinked her arm around his and pulled him closer. “Besides, I much prefer kissing you.”

Calaway let his gaze wander down to her lips. “Do ya now?”

“A little too much,” she said with an impish grin. “A handsome man like you, with those full, wonderful lips—Sheriff, you have done something terrible to me. You’ve got me all hot and bothered, when I’m the one who’s supposed to be doing all the hot and bothering.”

“I haven’t had a decent night’s rest since you came into town,” he told her. “I’d say you got me bothered, all right.”

Annalee gazed into his magnificent eyes for a long moment, ready to fall into his arms and make love to him right there on the front porch, until Kiddo woke up and tickled her insides.

She took a step back, just outside his reach. A sudden wave of exhaustion left her weak and lightheaded, and for a moment it was all she could do to control the tremors in her hands.

“Are you all right?” The concern in his voice tore at her heart. “You look like you’re ’bout to faint.”

“I think the day is catching up to me,” she said in a soft voice. “I’m awful tired.”

“Go inside and get to bed,” he told her. “Much as you’ve been running yourself ragged, I’m surprised you didn’t fall asleep in the car.”

Annalee looked into his eyes and brushed her lips against his. “I definitely like kissing you too much,” she whispered. “Good night, John.”

****

Two storm-tossed days passed before work could resume on the Blue Lantern. When the rain passed, the crews arrived once more to clean up the storm damage and make the final preparations for the grand opening.

Annalee placed advertisements in the local papers, both in Pike County and across the river in Missouri. She asked the workers to spread the word far and wide about the sparkling new riverfront café and prayed to God the place would be such a success she would never have to return to a place called Hollywood.

When she finally made it to the Blue Lantern, she was tired, dead tired, and wishing she could crawl into bed. Bing Crosby crooned on the new radio. One of the few true gentlemen she knew from the old days. His voice was as wonderful as ever.

“You ain’t been to see Doc Graham yet, have ya?” Molly Brown asked.

“I haven’t had time.”

“You’re worn to the bone,” she chided. “Much work as those men do out there, you do just as much yourself, and that ain’t good.”

“Once we get past the opening, I’ll rest. I promise.”

“That’s still three days away, and you ain’t lookin’ so good.”

The front door swung open. Figuring it was another worker looking for some refreshment, Annalee didn’t bother to look up—until a familiar voice sent a jolt through her heart.

“You’ve done a fine job here, Toots! I didn’t think you had it in you!” Sully tossed his Borsalino hat onto the table and handed Molly his walking stick. “Put that somewhere, will you, sweetheart? Thanks.”

Annalee couldn’t help but cringe. “What are you doing here?”

“All this time you’ve been away, don’t I even get a hug?”

Molly Brown set the walking stick against the counter and stared at the strange, wiry little man with suspicion. “Annalee, do you know this fella?”

“Sully and I go way back.” She stood and gave her manager a perfunctory hug, then eased her aching body back into the chair. Scrubbing floors and polishing every last surface of the café for two days straight made her hurt all over.

“And you haven’t called me in weeks,” he said. “I was worried.”

A burly man with a heavy camera slung across his shoulder poked his head in the door. “Where do you want me to set up, Mr. Sullivan?”

“Let’s get some exterior shots first, while we got the light. Make sure you get these people to sign the release forms—and find out who those ragamuffins belong to, so we can get them on film, too.”

“My children?” Molly asked. “Are you makin’ a picture or somethin’?”

“Just a little something for Movietone News,” he said with a yawn. “They’re doing a story on all the good Annalee’s been doing around here. Personal interest stuff, that sort of thing.”

Molly laughed nervously and gingerly smoothed the waves in her hair. “Oh, she’s done loads of good here. Got me and Earl back to work, and a whole bunch of other folks, besides.”

“Yeah, save it for the cameras, sweetie.”

“Sully!”

“Annalee, can I go home and get my good dress?” Molly asked. “And maybe fix up my hair?”

“No,” Sully insisted. “You look fine just the way you are. Perfectly downtrodden and impoverished.”

“Oh.” The disappointment and embarrassment in her eyes broke Annalee’s heart.

“Molly, go get your good dress,” she said. “And make yourself pretty for the camera.”

Molly smiled and hurried out of the café, leaving Annalee alone to glare at her manager. “You can’t come here and talk to people like that,” she warned. “I won’t have it, Sully. These folks are good and decent—they weren’t put on this earth just so you could come and exploit them.”

Sully sat back in his chair and gave a surprised laugh. “Calm down, Toots. You know this is all to save the career
you
screwed up. When you stopped calling, I got a little nervous, thinking you’d run off and eloped with some poor dope and just didn’t have the heart to tell me.”

“I didn’t have time to call. I’ve been busy here.”

“Yeah, remind me to make sure you get a good manicure when we get you back to Los Angeles,” he snipped. “You look like shit.”

Annalee could hear no more of his abuse. “Look, you can film here as long as you treat these people with some respect,” she told him. “If they don’t want to talk to you, then you leave them alone.”

Sully’s grin was terrible. “Got yourself a nice little set-up, huh? Half the town does your bidding, treats you like a goddess—like those jungle pictures where the savages worship the white queen. I warned you about this going-native bullshit, didn’t I?”

“And you can’t talk to me like that anymore, either,” she insisted, though the quiver in her voice made him smile even more.

“Are you going to tell me that the last ten years have been a waste of my time?” he asked. “All the work I put into making you a star was all for nothing?”

“Oh, stop it. You made plenty of money off me.”

“Yeah, and I can make even more if this goes right. Toots,
we
can make more. Don’t you want to see that kid of yours set up for life? Don’t you think it deserves more than scrounging around for scraps like those little brats outside?”

The front door swung open, and John Calaway entered, looking around with some confusion. “What’s with all the movie cameras?”

The burly cameraman poked his head in the door once more. “We’re all set up, Mr. Sullivan.”

Sully rose to his feet and leaned in close to whisper in her ear. “You think about what I said. Places like this go under in less than six months. You and that kid deserve better. Think about it.”

Annalee looked away and did not see the derisive grin her manager sent the sheriff’s way, nor did she see the questioning look in John’s eyes until he sat down across from her.

“Who was that?”

“My manager,” she whispered. “Please don’t ask me any more questions for now. I just want to go home for a little while.”

“Tell you what. I’ll take you home to my house,” he offered. “I’ll make us a little something to eat, and you can relax a bit. I don’t like how you’ve been lookin’ lately. It’s like that feistiness has gone out of you. I miss it.”

“I’ll be all right once I eat,” she said and, to calm his fears, flashed him her most vampish smile. “Best be careful, Sheriff. I get my energy back, there’s no telling what I might do. I’ve been looking forward to a good ravishing since I first laid eyes on you.”

****

Penelope gave up scratching at the bedroom door once Calaway tossed out her favorite rag doll. “Can’t have her peekin’,” he said with a laugh. “Might ruin her for life.”

Annalee unbuttoned the first few buttons of her dress and pulled down the window shade. The sheriff cocked an eyebrow at her.

“Ain’t nobody can see.”

“I’m shy.”

“I reckon you’re a lot of things, Annalee, but shy ain’t one of ’em.”

His soft laughter filled her heart to brimming. Her kisses were joyful and light, butterfly kisses that soon brought a terrible urgency to his need for her. Calaway pulled her so close she could feel the thunderous pounding of his heart and the growing desire between his legs. He nuzzled the swell of her breasts and gently nipped at the hard nipples, still half-sheathed in the material of her dress, until Annalee was sure she would go mad with delight.

“Too many buttons,” he whispered, and pulled at her dress until at long last it gave way and revealed the warm, alabaster flesh beneath.

Annalee let what remained of her dress fall to her waist, and for a long moment he could do nothing more than drink in the beauty before him. He studied the loveliness of her face, took in every detail as if he feared he might never see its equal again. Her breasts, perfect and full, beckoned him. He pulled her close, so close that she straddled his hips, and kissed the tiny, dark beauty mark that lived just below her breast.

She fell into bed alongside him, laughing and moaning at the electric thrill his warm lips sent coursing through her body. His hot breath tingled in her ear; and as they made love, she pulled him deeper, deeper inside her until she knew for certain they were truly one, until all the joys and passions of their lives came bursting forth in one tremendous explosion that left them both trembling and spent.

Annalee fought for the breath she was sure she would never quite catch again. Her legs yet entwined with his, she leaned in close and gave him a gentle kiss. “My goodness.”

Calaway closed his eyes and broke into laughter. “Is that all you can say?”

“How about ‘wow’,” she purred. “Is that better?”

“Much.”

She propped herself up on her elbow and gazed into his face, into those magnificent blue eyes, and thought for certain that her soul would burst, for it was filled to overflowing. She gently traced her finger along his cheek, to his lips, and smiled as he kissed her fingertip.

“Remind me to thank Miss Katie Belle Calaway for bringing you into the world.”

“Aw, she’s gone on to glory—gone ten years now,” he told her.

“Well, when you get there, send her my thanks.”

“Don’t you think you’ll get to Heaven one day, Annalee?”

She couldn’t resist one more kiss. “After what we just did, and liking it so much, I’m not so sure.”

He pulled her into his powerful arms and brushed her platinum hair from her eyes. “Like silk,” he murmured. “I never felt a woman’s hair as soft as yours. I could get used to it.”

“And then you’d be spoiled rotten, wouldn’t you?”

“Tell me you won’t leave.”

“But I have to,” she said. “I’ve got to get back and hand out the pay...and see what Sully’s up to.”

“I mean don’t go back to California.”

Annalee fell back against the pillow and hoped he would not notice the glimmer of panic she was certain had crept into her eyes.

Calaway rolled onto his back and let out a soft laugh. “You know, I was thinkin’ about when we first met, how we both figured romance was for saps. Remember that?”

“Mm-hmm.”

“And I was thinkin’ about the night at my house...and the night that no-count hobo tried to hurt you and how scared I was that he might’ve...aw, hell, Annalee, maybe I am a sap, but I love you.”

She closed her eyes and wished to God he hadn’t said it. Not when there was so much about her he still didn’t know.

And if I tell him now, he will walk away. Just as Sully said.

Annalee forced a flirty smile onto her face and gave him a quick kiss. “Don’t tease me, John. You know this little heart of mine couldn’t stand to be broken.”

“I wouldn’t,” he insisted. “And I know it hasn’t been all that long, and maybe you got some different ideas about what you want, but I just had to tell you what’s been layin’ heavy on my heart.”

“I just never figured on anything like this coming about,” she whispered.

“Is that why you got a sad look in your eye?” he asked. “I don’t expect you to love me back, Annalee. I know it might be a little more than a man like me can hope for.”

“John, my mother dragged me out to California when I was three years old,” she said in a soft voice. “When she couldn’t make it as an actress, she pushed me into it. All I’ve known were singing lessons, dancing lessons, and doing the things a girl sometimes has to do to get work and really make it in show business. Do you understand what I mean?”