Dating A Saint (8 page)

“You can go home now,” Lauren told her drowsily. “I just had a little too much to drink. I’ll be fine. I’ll just sit here until the worst of it wears off.”

“Okay, I’ll call for a taxi in few minutes,” Alexa said easily. “Let me get you some water. You need to get hydrated. Over-indulging with alcohol is really bad for your skin, honey.”

As Alexa was walking back from the kitchen to the living room with bottles of water for both her and Lauren, the doorbell rang.

She walked to the door, looked out the security port, and was amazed at who was standing on Lauren’s doorstep. Opening the door wide, Alexa could tell she shocked the man who stood there quietly with a giant bouquet of gorgeous flowers in hand.

“Flowers for me?” Alexa asked, smiling and teasing. “Jim, how sweet of you.”

Alexa stepped aside, motioning for Jim to come in. He came in cautiously, his gaze darting around looking for Lauren, making Alexa laugh.

“Lauren’s in the living room,” Alexa supplied dryly. Jim’s gaze hadn’t even taken her in as he had searched for Lauren.

And that’s the last straw
, Alexa concluded. She’d had enough of playing second string to Lauren McCarthy this evening. She was ready to go home to a man who actually paid attention to her. Lauren and Jim would just have to deal with each other.

Jim put one hand in his pocket, not sure how to explain his presence there to Alexa. He was surprised when Alexa walked into the living room without him, seemingly unconcerned if he followed or not.

On the couch, Lauren slept sitting up with her head leaned over the back edge, her long legs spread a little to stabilize her upright position. Black heels lay discarded near her feet. She was wearing a short black dress, the hem riding high enough on her thighs for Jim to see the edge of what looked like thigh-high nylons. The spit dried up in his mouth. The flower bouquet fell to his side.

For long moments, he could do nothing but stand and stare at Lauren.

“Is she drunk?” Jim asked finally, relieved to find his voice still worked.

Alexa took a chair near the couch. She looked at Jim, trying to read what was going on with him. “Yes, thoroughly sloshed. Would you happen to know why?”

Jim heard the accusation in her tone. “Are you implying this is my fault?” he asked, lifting the hand without the flowers to motion at Lauren.

“I’m not implying anything. Saint McCarty drank the jumbo margaritas all by herself. But I know for damn sure you’re the reason she almost went home with my stripper,” Alexa said sharply, delighted when Jim’s eyes flew to Lauren’s splayed pose. “You owe me and Regina for stopping her.”

“Why would I owe you for that?” Jim asked huskily, closing his eyes against the truth.

“Stop being a coward. Do you really want Lauren McCarthy sleeping with another man and calling your name? Not that Shaun would have cared one way or the other,” she said, looking at her nails to see if her polish was chipped from wrestling with Lauren. “I also doubt Shaun would have bragged about it to everyone the next day, which is better than some of us manage. Most of my lovers were not very discreet either.”

Jim didn’t answer Alexa. He wasn’t going admit to Alexa what he couldn’t yet admit to Lauren.

“Look, Jim, I know how Lauren feels about you. What I don’t know is how you feel about her,” Alexa told him. “Neither does she, which I think partially explains the sudden drinking binge of a woman who has never drank more than a couple glasses of wine in front of me the whole time I’ve known her.”

Chastised to realize he’d upset Lauren enough to push her into drinking, Jim walked to a chair. He set the flowers on the polished ebony side table. Leaning forward, he put his elbows on his knees and hung his hands down in front of them. He stared at the floor for a few seconds before finally raising his head to look at Alexa.

What was he supposed to say? Alexa’s stare was not friendly or trusting. His thoughts were in turmoil. The idea of Lauren almost going home with another man in her condition threatened to mentally unhinge him if he dwelled too long on it.

“I never asked you this when we dated, but I damn well want to know now. Did you leave a real wife at home tucked in bed waiting for you to return?” Alexa demanded, her direct gaze daring him to lie about it.

“No. No one waits for me,” Jim admitted, realizing the awful opinion Alexa must have of him to ask the question for Lauren’s sake.

“Well, Lauren is waiting, Jim. Lauren McCarthy is waiting for you, and you need to appreciate the fact,” Alexa said earnestly. “Lauren didn’t even want to date those guys she dated. Regina and I talked her into it. We don’t think it’s healthy for her to keep pining away for you while you ignore her.”

“I’m married,” Jim said flatly. “It’s not a normal husband-wife relationship, but I can’t change my situation. That’s all I can tell you. I haven’t even told her this much.”

“I don’t care if you tell me anything more or not. I’ve known my share of married men, and brother you aren’t one,” Alexa said firmly. “Ben and Regina—that’s married. And that’s how I’m going to be married to Casey. Anything other than a love that complete—well, it’s just not the same thing. You might be legally committed to a relationship for reasons you’re not sharing, but you’re certainly not married. So stop pretending you have a relationship with another woman more important than the one you have with my friend.”

“I can’t divorce my wife, Alexa. How can I ask Lauren to be satisfied with just an affair with me? Even I don’t want that kind of relationship. Why would she want that?” Jim asked sadly. “You know what her marriage was like.”

Alexa shrugged in reply. “Why did you show up here tonight with flowers, dressed in an expensive suit, and smelling like a man intent on seduction? Don’t give me that innocent look, Jim. Even Lauren would have figured out your agenda if she’d been awake. You’re purposely trying to put this attraction between you two all on her and make it her fault, but you’re the one sitting in her living room with your gaze glued her legs. The truth is on your face.”

“You can’t possibly know what I intended tonight,” Jim said quietly.

Consequences, Alexa thought. Maybe it would be character building for both of them. Wondering if Regina was ever going to be wrong about these things, Alexa steeled herself, ready to deliver the end of her lecture to Jim about doing right by Lauren.

“You need to stop lying to yourself about how interested you are in Lauren. Then you need to talk to her about your limited situation. She wants you, Jim—not other men, just you. You need to let her decide what’s enough,” Alexa said. A horn blew outside and Alexa stood. “That’s my ride. Do I need to be worried about you staying here alone with her?”

“I won’t hurt her,” Jim promised, or at least he would try not to do so.

Alexa nodded. “She might be sick later or maybe just light-headed. The only time I think Lauren had even two glasses of wine was when she found out her mother was having regular lunches with her ex-husband. That was several years ago. Lauren truly is a saint most of the time. We only tease her because it’s mostly true.”

Jim followed Alexa to the door, surprised when she leaned forward and kissed his cheek.

“Don’t judge my friend by the one bitch you slept with who was indiscreet. What’s between you and Lauren is a type of connection that doesn’t happen every day. I waited a long damn time to find it for myself. You both got lucky a whole lot sooner. Treat the extra time as a gift.” Alexa tapped his cheek with her the tips of her fingers, turned on her heels, and walked off into the night.

After Alexa had gotten into the taxi, Jim shut and locked the door.

He walked back to the living room where Lauren was still sleeping. Having her head lolled back like that had to be uncomfortable, he thought. The narrow couch would be uncomfortable even lying down, plus it wasn’t near a bathroom.

Thanks to Kaiser’s encouragement, the weight lifting had increased his strength, but he still wasn’t strong enough yet to carry a nearly six foot, drunken, real woman with curves up the stairs. He peered into a room off the living room and found a bedroom with a half-bath. That would work, he thought. He could carry her that far.

Coming back into the living room, he knelt on the couch and slipped one arm under her knees. He had to work the other behind her back. Gripping under her arm, his fingertips grazed the side of her breast. Drawing in a surprised breath, he got a lungful of her heady scent. It was the same thing she’d been wearing in the garden when he kissed her.

Desire instantly swamped him.

He straightened with Lauren in his arms, her long legs dangling, head slumping on his shoulder. Lauren was heavier than she looked, and firmer than he’d guessed by just looking at her. Jim walked the short distance to the bedroom, enjoying the sensation of carrying her in his arms.

Jim got another lungful of her scent when he bent to lay Lauren in the bed. Not having thought to pull down the covers, he had to slide them from beneath her, running his hands down and under as he went. While doing that, he felt the garter snaps on the backs of her thighs. His discovery had his hands trembling as the pulled the cover the rest of way down.

He slid the hem of her dress up one thigh wanting to see up close what he had felt. Though they were sexy as hell on her, Lauren wouldn’t be very comfortable in the garters and hose. Jim swallowed hard hoping he could manage to control himself. Gritting his teeth, he put both hands under the hem of her dress trying to only skim her thighs as he reached up and up. When his hands finally grazed Lauren hips, he used only the tips of his fingers to trace the garter belt. Discovering no hooks in the front, he slipped his hands under the back where he found a couple of tiny hooks which were undone easily.

Then as he was pulling the garter belt down, it occurred to him for the first time in years, he was undressing a woman—and not just a woman. He was undressing Lauren. A low moan of satisfaction escaped him before Jim could bite it back. He pulled the garment free of her hips and slid it down the front of her thighs, stopping to grab the garters and using them to tug down everything else. Lauren moaned a little then, putting a hand to her stomach.

Jim continued removing the hose, having to work them over her knees. She moaned a little again in her stupor, the sound a torture to him, but also the most exciting thing he’d heard in a very long time. Slipping his hands under Lauren’s calves, he stroked them as he finished pulling the sheer filmy material the rest of the way off her body.

Jim was glad there was no one there to witness his reactions, no one to judge. He was even glad Lauren wasn’t awake. When the garters and hose were at last free of her body, Jim pressed the clothing he’d removed to his face, taking in her scent before hanging them on the back of a nearby chair.

Feeling bolder now, he contemplated removing her dress, but thought he might wake her if he tried. So instead, he slid hands up inside her dress again lifting Lauren’s hips, tugging the dress back down so it wouldn’t be bunched up underneath her. In the process, he couldn’t resist cupping her backside in both his hands.

For a woman her age, Lauren was solid and toned. She literally felt like heaven, Jim thought, willing himself not to dwell on how wonderful it would be to sink inside her.

“Jim,” Lauren said, arching upward as his hands moved away from her rear.

Startled she spoke, and not sure he’d heard correctly, Jim immediately backed away from her. He stood silent, waiting for Lauren to talk again, but she seemed to be sleeping instead. Coming close once more, he peered into her face and saw her eyes were still closed.

He pulled the covers over her then, careful not to touch her legs as he pulled the layers up, until finally he tucked them loosely around her. As he leaned over her, a strong desire to crawl in beside her warm body and just hold her clawed at him. His breath was ragged with the effort of holding himself back from doing just that.

“Jim,” Lauren whispered again.

Again he froze, not able this time to pretend he hadn’t heard. His name had been clear, unmistakable. Drunk and asleep, Lauren was calling his name, looking for him—
wanting
him, Jim finally admitted. What Alexa said was a truth he’d been avoiding. Even if he’d been someone else touching her, it was his name Lauren called in the dark. The idea Lauren was that much his already lit a fire in his groin and an answering one his heart.

His relief at being the man with her tonight was too strong to be ignored. Jim wanted to wallow in it, to let it convince him something this wonderful had to be right.

“Sleep now,” Jim whispered softly, allowing himself to brush back her hair. “I’m not leaving this time.” He kissed her temple, pressing his cheek against hers briefly.

Then before he could lose the rest of his shaky self-control, Jim walked back into the living room, stretched out on the narrow couch, and covered himself with his jacket. When Lauren didn’t make a sound for the next half hour, Jim finally drifted off to sleep as well.

*** *** ***

When Lauren opened her eyes the next morning, the light was filtering through the sheers, but that couldn’t be right. Her bedroom didn’t get morning sun. Peering around, she decided she was in her house, but didn’t know why she was in her guest room.

Sitting up cautiously, she smelled coffee and heard a rustling in her kitchen at the same time her gaze landed her discarded garter belt and hose on the back of a chair. Oh God, she thought, instantly remembering details from the night before. Was Shaun in her kitchen drinking coffee? She put a hand to her stomach, relieved when she felt underwear still under the dress. Had she put her underwear back on after?

She moved body parts to make sure things still worked. Why was there tension still in her muscles if she’d had sex?

Shrugging, she had the uncomfortable thought that maybe Shaun hadn’t been as great as he looked.

Then a new reality hit her.
Oh hell
, she thought.
What have I done?
The sobering thought of another man besides Jim inside her made her ill. Her stomach threatened to revolt.