Eddie’s Prize (17 page)

His weight, pressing her into the mattress, stilled. She couldn’t feel him breathe. She tried to see his face, but it was too dark.

“Is that a problem?” he asked in a flat, toneless voice.

“No,” she giggled. “I hope we do that a lot more.”

His rib cage expanded against her as he took a deep breath. “I think I can manage it again sometime.” He rolled off her and pulled her back against his front. “Lisa, did you know Taye Wolfe is really a wolf?”

His arm was warm and strong over her waist. She tucked her hand around it. “Wolf? You mean his last name?”

“No, I mean a wolf. Four paws, furry ears, tail. You know—a wolf.”

She twisted her head to try to look at him behind her. “What are you talking about?”

“Taye Wolfe turns into a wolf.”

“A werewolf?” Lisa fought the laugh back. “Seriously? My friend Carla is married to a werewolf?”

There was a brief silence behind her. “Yes. What do you think about that?”

“It’s crazy!” She squirmed until she faced him in the dark. “Are you joking?”

The backs of his fingers ran slowly down her cheek. “No. It’s true. There are men who can turn into wolves and other animals. Some of them, I’m told, keep it secret because their neighbors might hunt them down to kill them. But Taye Wolfe and his Pack are open about it.”

“Oh, my God!” He really was serious! “We have to do something! What if he eats her?”

Eddie’s laugh calmed her speeding heart. “Lisa-love, those wolves worship women. I promise you, your friend is safe. Wouldn’t you like to be married to a tall, strong shape shifter who would lay down his life for you?”

“God, no. That sounds awful.” She searched his face with her fingers and drew his lips to hers. “I’m so glad I have you.”

His sigh stirred her hair. “Yeah.” His hands urged her to lie down again, smoothing over her bare shoulders to stroke her breasts. “You have me.”

When Sunday came, Lisa was proud of the egg bake she’d made for breakfast all by herself. The other meals she’d made were created under her mother-in-law’s direction, but Sunday brunch was her first solo meal. Parts of the egg mixture were a little dry and other parts a little runny, but the biscuits, sausages, and gravy turned out just right.

She and Eddie slept late and stayed in bed to make love. Eddie showered and dressed, kissed her, and left to check on his patients. When he came back, Lisa was glowing with pride and the heat of the stove, and the table was set for their late breakfast.

Lisa smiled at Eddie. “Ready to eat?”

“Sure am.” He hung his jacket up and moved to the table. “Smells great in here.”

Lisa froze, struck by the uncomfortable notion she was fluttering over her man like a 1950’s housewife. When did she become June Cleaver? She pushed the casserole dish closer to his plate with impatient hands. He didn’t need her to put the food on his plate for him. “Well, sit down. Help yourself.”

As always, Eddie was a single-minded eater. Except for a quick word of praise for the eggs, he ate in silence. Lisa ate her smaller portion of breakfast with a dreamy smile. These last couple days had been idyllic. She was enjoying learning to cook, and her in-laws were welcoming and helpful. Lisa chewed her biscuit, trying to pinpoint the source of her happiness. Was it the feeling she was part of a loving family? In only a few days, she had become Ray and Darlene’s daughter and Bree’s sister as well as Eddie’s wife. They finished the Monopoly game last night as planned, and Lisa had come in dead last. She didn’t mind. It was too much fun to see Darlene rub her husband’s nose in his second-place finish. Eddie enjoyed it too.

“I can’t remember the last time I had this much fun playing a game,” he’d said, giving Lisa a little squeeze while Bree carefully put the game away. “We need to do this again.”

“This time you had someone to keep you company at the bottom of the pack,” Bree taunted.

Eddie had given his sister a smirk. “Just wait until next time.”

Sitting on the floor with the warmth of the fireplace on her front and the warmth of Eddie’s arm along her back while cold early November rain slapped against the windows made her feel cozy. This morning, sitting in her kitchen while her husband ate the breakfast she’d prepared, she felt a similar glow of contentment. This life was so different, and physically harder, than the one she left behind, but it had its good moments. The distance she’d felt in Eddie two mornings ago was gone now. His lovemaking was sometimes fast and furious, and sometimes slow and gentle, but always satisfying in its tenderness.

Finished with his breakfast, Eddie wiped his mouth on his napkin and sat back in his chair to raise an eyebrow at her. “What are you thinking about, Lisa-love?”

When she licked her lips and winked, he laughed. “Me too. But we can wait. We have a busy day today. Your friend will be singing at the library in about three hours. I thought we’d swing by and see Alexander, and then go to Nate Martin’s to pick up your new dress before heading over to the library.

Lisa wavered between the delight of new clothes and confusion. “Who’s Alexander?”

“The colt you named.”

“Oh!” Lisa bounced in her chair. “He was so cute. I’d love to see him again.” She frowned at him. “You’re looking at me like I’m a silly five-year-old.”

Eddie’s eyelids drooped as he slid a glance over her, from her face to her feet, lingering on her chest. “I don’t see a five-year-old.” He spoiled it with a grin. “You just sounded like a five-year-old for a second.”

Lisa reached to knock a knuckle on the top of his head. “Be nice.”

“I am being nice.” He caught her wrist and held it. “I got Mrs. Martin to finish your dress extra fast.”

Lisa melted. “Thank you.”

His lips against the inside of her wrist were tender. “I love you.”

He paused, looking at her expectantly. Lisa’s mouth opened, ready to say she loved him too, but the glib words stuck in her throat. Instead she gave him a quick kiss. For a moment he looked hurt, but he returned the kiss.

“Let’s get these dishes washed up so we can get going, wife.”

* * * *

It was a beautiful morning, chilly enough that Lisa was glad she had her jacket, but sunny. She was so happy she couldn’t stop smiling. Mentally she listed the things she was looking forward to today—she was going to see the baby horse, get a new dress she could show off in public, and then see Carla again. Best of all, Eddie was walking close beside her, holding her hand and swinging it lightly between them as if they were kids. They were back to how they were before he saw those stupid magazines. For a moment her mind lingered on the anger and jealousy he’d displayed that day, but she shook her head, forcing those memories back. The past was past, and it should stay in the past. That’s what her therapist told her. Lisa focused on the warm clasp of her husband’s hand. It was going to be a perfectly wonderful day.

All three of the Packard men, father and sons, were in a broad, grassy, fenced yard right off the back of the stable. Lisa admired the way Eddie swung himself over the fence with the grace of a leaping cat and let him help her over the rail. Her eyes fixed immediately on Alexander cavorting on spindly legs near his mother.

“Ooh, what an adorable baby horse!” she cooed. “Make him come play with me!”

“Colt,” Eddie corrected.

She made a face at his mock-superior tone. “Colt. Can you go get him?”

One of the teenaged Packards came to her side. “No, ma’am, it’s best to try to tempt him over to you with a treat.”

Lisa warmed under his expression of awed admiration as he gazed at her.
Yes, this is going to be a perfect day
, Lisa thought, rewarding him with a smiling glance flicked from under lowered lashes.

The smile was jarred off her face by Eddie’s hand clamping over her upper arm and jerking her away.

“What?” she began, looking around frantically. She expected to see something dangerous, like the mother horse charging them to protect her baby, but there was nothing. She opened her mouth to scold Eddie. His face stopped her voice. He hardly looked like himself, as if the rage had shifted the bones subtly under his skin.

“Eddie?”

He growled, ignoring her. When Mr. Packard hurried over, Eddie jerked her back another step, his nails biting into her arm even through her leather jacket.

“Eddie!” she said again. “You’re hurting me!”

He wheeled around, crushing her to his chest and burying his face against her neck. Her back hit the fence. Her breath came out in an “
Oof!
” that stirred Eddie’s hair where it lay over her face.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured into her shoulder, holding her tightly. “I’m sorry.”

She brushed a hand over his back. Each muscle under her fingers was clenched. His tension made her stuff her impatience deep inside. “It’s okay. Eddie, what’s going on with you?”

He didn’t answer, didn’t lift his head. “I’d never hurt you.”

Lisa heard the furtive guilt edging his tone. “Okay.” Helplessly, she glanced over his shoulder at Mr. Packard, whose glare was fixed on his son. “Are you going to let me go?”

“In a minute.”

Lisa waited, resisting the urge to shift her weight, until he finally lifted his head. His face was calm now, the muscles of his shoulders almost relaxed. Lisa stroked her fingers through his hair. “Okay?”

Eddie nodded and turned to Mr. Packard. Lisa saw the two boys going into the barn. Mr. Packard was cautious, but his voice was firm.

“Eddie, I know a newlywed man is protective and jealous of his wife, but do you really think my boys have designs on Mrs. Madison?”

Lisa jerked in a breath. All the craziness was because Eddie was jealous?

“They were flirting,” Eddie said stiffly. “Jasper and my wife were flirting.”

Lisa jerked in another breath to protest, but Mr. Packard beat her to it.

“That’s not what I saw,” he said bluntly. “It looked to me like a case of an older woman being kind to an infatuated boy.”

Older woman? Lisa touched an alarmed finger to the corner of her eye, searching for crow’s feet. She wasn’t an “older woman”!

“Jasper’s past sixteen,” Eddie snarled. “He knows better than to flirt with a married woman.”

Mr. Packard dug his hands into his pockets. “Son, didn’t you ever have a crush on an older woman?”

Lisa couldn’t see her husband’s face, but his shoulders stiffened. “Once or twice. But I sure didn’t flirt with her!”

The older man’s face creased as he clenched and unclenched his jaw. “It’s just part of growing up,” he said with an edge in his voice showing the frayed edges of his patience. “I’ll have a word with my boys, but I’m telling you, it was innocent.”

“You do that,” Eddie snapped. “Come on, Lisa, we’re leaving.”

“But…” Lisa glanced at the little horse frolicking by his mother on the far side of the yard. “I wanted to see the baby h—colt.”

“Now, Lisa,” Eddie said sternly, as if she were a toddler dragging her feet about going to bed.

Lisa gritted her teeth when his hand snapped out to snag her wrist. She walked with him only to avoid an ugly argument in front of Mr. Packard. As soon as they had gone through the barn and were back on the street, she jerked her wrist out of his hold. “Eddie, that was rude. I don’t appreciate being embarrassed like that.”

He didn’t look at her. “And I don’t appreciate watching my wife flirt with another man!”

“I wasn’t flirting!” Lisa shoved a tiny flare of guilt down. Why should she feel guilty? Eddie had no right to go off like that. “He’s just a kid. He reminded me of my baby brother.”

It was not quite a lie. She hadn’t really been flirting, and the boy did remind her of Derek as he had been ten years ago.

“Eddie, this jealousy of yours is ridiculous.”

His hands clenched at his sides. “I’m sorry you were
embarrassed
.”

He didn’t sound sorry. He sounded pissed off.

Lisa counted her steps until she had a firm grip on her anger. “I thought you said you would try to control your jealousy.”

Eddie marched faster and then slowed. He watched the sidewalk beneath their feet, and his voice dropped to a tone which dripped deep misery. “I know. The monster slipped out before I could stop it.”

She was trying to have a serious conversation, and he was making jokes? “Really? The green eyed-monster slipped out? Eddie, be serious.”

A startled expression crossed his face. “I don’t know what color its eyes are.” His lips firmed as he looked at her. “It would be easier, though, if you wouldn’t smile like that at other men.”

“Eddie.” Some of her anger was washed away by impatient pity. She forgot sometimes how naïve he was even at twenty-six. “I smile at other men to be polite and friendly. It doesn’t mean a thing. Nothing at all. I don’t feel anything for them, but I feel so much for you. You told me you’d try to control your jealousy. I expect you to keep your word.”

His hand slipped down to clasp hers. “I’ll do better next time. I swear. Forgive me?”

What choice did she have? It wasn’t like she could run home every time they had a fight. She squeezed his hand. “Okay.”

Her smile must have looked convincing. Eddie gave her a gentle kiss before hurrying his steps. “Come on. I want to see you in your new dress.”

The idea of a new dress banished the lingering remnants of her anger. Nothing cheered her up like new clothes. Maybe that made her shallow, but she’d take her happiness where she could. She was careful to avoid Nate Martin’s eyes when they got to his shop, but it wasn’t too hard since Hannah came out and rushed her to the back room before the bell over the door stopped ringing.

“I think you’ll like what I’ve done with the dress,” Hannah said.

A few minutes later Lisa turned this way and that to admire herself in the full length mirror against the wall. The simple, buttoned up shirt dress was made from mid-weight cotton in a flattering blue whose princess seams curved over her bust, fitting perfectly.

“I like it,” she announced to Hannah.

Hannah released a breath. “I’m so glad. It looks like it fits.”

“Like a glove,” Lisa agreed. She twirled once, letting the skirt flare and settle. “I might need more clothes.”