Personal Assets (Texas Nights) (9 page)

Good Lord, did most men still perform such courtesies for women or was Charlie just old-fashioned that way? She could see herself, out on a date, standing by the car door like an idiot while the man climbed in alone. She knew nothing about how to have a romantic relationship. Did Allie’s counseling include such basic advice? All the other women in the group session seemed so much more experienced.

Charlie stepped into the Ford F-150, cranked up the air conditioner and adjusted the volume on the Alan Jackson CD to a level that discouraged conversation. Regardless of his denial, something had happened in the restaurant. It was a mystery to her how testosterone could make one half of the world’s population virtually impossible to comprehend. Heck, she’d raised two of those chemically overdosed creatures and she was still puzzled by how their brains worked.

If Charlie was fighting a case of heartburn, she could forgive him. Every man she’d ever met became a complete bear when he wasn’t feeling well. Emmalee searched for her pill bottle again and shook out two antacids. Without asking if he wanted them, she offered the medication in the flat of her palm. Charlie could be stubborn about asking for any kind of help. He was accustomed to taking care of himself since the death of his wife, Vivian, several years ago.

He took the pills without looking at her. He merged onto the interstate, rolled down his window and tossed them out.

Idiot. “I’ve heard deer can die from eating antacids.”

“They’re predicted to be overpopulated this year anyway.”

Emmalee twisted the volume knob, turning the radio down. “Want to tell me what brought on the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde act at dinner?”

Charlie didn’t answer for several minutes. Finally, he said, “How long have we known each other, Em?”

“Twenty years or so. Why?”

“And how long have we been friends?”

That was more difficult to answer. When she and Brody were married, she’d had a number of acquaintances but no real friends. She’d been too wrapped up in trying to hold together a life she’d naïvely thought salvageable. Once Brody left her and the boys, friendships hadn’t been a priority because she’d been working too hard to keep her head above the rapidly rising tide of debt. “Ten or twelve years? You and Vivian were my first true friends.”

He glanced at her, but his expression was shuttered. “Vivian’s been gone for almost five years.”

Emmalee’s breath hitched. “It doesn’t seem that long, does it?”

“Maybe that’s the problem.”

Were they having two separate conversations? “What do you mean?”

“The problem is, I realize my wife has been dead for years. You, on the other hand, seem to be surprised by that fact.”

“Not surprised. Sometimes it’s hard to believe so much time has passed since we lost her.” Emmalee stared at the cattle-dotted pastures turning dark olive in the waning summer evening, thinking how the setting sun mirrored the last peaceful days of her friend’s life. The cancer had stripped Vivian of her hair, her health, her pride, but hospice care had allowed her to live out her last days at home. With friends, family and as much dignity as cancer ever left anyone.

Charlie had plenty of friends and business associates in Shelbyville, but his face seemed suddenly etched with loneliness. Her heart squeezed in empathy. She knew that feeling well.

“Have you thought about becoming involved with someone? Dating again?” She didn’t want to hurt him, but the question needed to be asked. If he was feeling guilty about moving on after Vivian’s death, someone needed to tell him it was okay.

He scrubbed his hand down the side of his face and laughed, but it was a bitter sound. A dull glint cut through the twilight shadows and reflected off the wedding band he now wore on his right hand. “God help me, I think about it all the time.”

Emmalee patted his leg. “It’s okay. Vivian would understand and want you to be happy.”

Abruptly, he dropped his hand from his face and gripped hers. “Would she?”

“Of course she would.”

“What about you?”

“Would I what?”

“Would you want me to be happy?”

“I would want my surviving spouse to move on and find someone he cared for. Someone to care for him.” She tried to imagine what it must be like for him, to have lost the love of his life. At one time, she’d thought Brody was the love of hers. She now felt mild affection for him for giving her Cameron and Jamie, but she deserved better than a man that irresponsible and self-centered.

“I have.” Charlie stared down the highway. “Found someone I care about, I mean.”

A blunted pain radiated through Emmalee’s chest. This was the day she’d dreaded. The day Charlie didn’t need their friendship anymore because he’d found someone to fill the empty places in his life. “I understand.” And she did, but the devil inside her jabbed at her with his pitchfork of jealousy. She wanted to feel whole. And she would. Eventually. That was the reason she was working with Allie.

“No, Em, I don’t think you do.” His tone was harsh.

Where had all this anger suddenly come from? “I can try. That’s what friends are for.”

He jerked his hand away and squeezed the steering wheel. “Then try this. It’s you, Emmalee.” Charlie’s temple shifted in concert with the clenching of his jaw. “I thought spending time together as friends, with no pressure, would ease us both into the idea. But I’ve run out of patience.”

Emmalee’s body was frozen to the seat, but her mind raced back and forth like someone caught in a burning building looking for the exit door. Charlie was interested in her as a...woman? In dating? Kissing? Doing more than dating and kissing?

Dear God, she needed Allie’s help more than she’d originally thought if she couldn’t recognize that her closest friend wasn’t satisfied with being just friends.

They rode in silence as Charlie drove through Shelbyville, moving steadily closer to her neighborhood.

“I don’t know what to say,” she finally said.

Charlie’s eyes held something tired and a little sad. “Then don’t say anything tonight.” He parked close to the curb and killed the engine, pocketing his keys as he rounded the hood to open her door.

Did he want them to
do something
instead? Her brain simply could not process how the situation had changed between Charlie and her in the past twenty minutes. As soon as her car door swung open, she hurried out and onto the sidewalk. She held a palm up police-style but was careful to keep it several inches from Charlie’s chest. “There’s no need to see me in. I have an early morning tomorrow with the Rotary bake sale.”

Emmalee scurried up the steps to her frame house, not giving Charlie an opportunity to respond or follow her. She paused only long enough to give him a quick wave before she closed the front door with a definitive click. Not even bothering to drop her purse, she reached for the phone.

Chapter Seven

Allie hopped out to turn the sign to Trespassers Will Be Shot and then eased BB’s bulk through the abandoned drive-in’s tight entrance. Scraping the paint off the Cadillac’s side panels with the metal gate posts would definitely kill her chance at special-project-worthy sex. They bumped over the rutted dirt road at a wild ten miles an hour, but dirt still swirled around the car.

New bumper
and
a bath for BB.

“You’ve been quiet on the way here.” She glanced at Cameron. Yep, still scowling. “Wondering where we are?”

“Nope, praying for our safety.”

Allie wasted a perfectly good glare on a blindfolded man.

The road wound a half mile or more into a cow pasture. They topped a small rise and dipped down into a field dotted with old speaker stands and dominated by a huge movie screen. A thrill cruised through her.

Too bad people preferred the sticky-floored, air-conditioned indoor theaters these days. Maybe Suzanne and her husband hoped the drive-in would make a comeback someday. Then again, abandoned suited Allie fine this evening. She didn’t have to worry about sharing their make-out spot.

Her skin tingled with anticipation at the thought of persuading Cameron into the backseat. She’d read about a couple of new techniques and wanted to test them out on him. Oh heck, forget the techniques, she just wanted to get her hands on his body.

Allie guided BB to the speaker centered in the empty field and killed the engine. Whew. Cameron was welcome to drive home.

He turned his head as if he could see her through the thick silk of his blindfold. “Okay, princess. I’ve been patient. And trusting. And crazy.” He raised his hands and began to slide the blindfold up his face. “Now I’m taking this damned thing off.”

“Wait.” She grabbed his hands and settled them on his thighs. Even atop his, her hands absorbed the heat from his legs. “I want you to use all your senses for a minute. Relax and tell me what you hear. What you smell.”

“You’re pushing me.”

Exactly.

But he rested his head on the seat back and pulled in a deep breath. “I smell fresh-cut hay. Still sitting in the field waiting for someone to throw it on a flatbed truck.” He tugged Allie’s hand to his face, tickled his nose along her inner wrist. “I smell your skin and hair. The scent reminds me of my favorite cookies. Sugar and vanilla and cinnamon. Makes me want to find out if you smell that way all over.”

Oh, he was willing to play her game. “What else?”

“I heard the way your breath hitched.”

Lust shivered through her, tightened her muscles.

Enough. Allie slipped her hand from his and leaned into his shoulder to gently untie the chemise.

The fabric slid to his lap and Cameron laughed. “I’ve had a sexy nightie wrapped around my face for the past twenty minutes? Good thing I didn’t know or my fantasies would’ve been even dirtier.” Allie reached for the scrap of silk, but Cameron snatched it away and held it high above his head. “Uh-uh. This is my official souvenir.”

“Maybe hang it from your rearview mirror?” Allie pictured the fabric riding the wind as he drove BB through town. “That would raise eyebrows.”

He finally scanned the deserted drive-in. “I didn’t know this place was still around. I’m surprised someone didn’t tear it down.”

After tonight, he’d want it designated with a Historical Marker. She’d make sure of it.

“It closed before I started high school so I never got the chance to have a drive-in date. Not that my father would’ve allowed it even if they’d still showed movies here.” Her words carried a trace of bitterness, and she instantly regretted she’d mentioned her dad.

“You decided I’m the right guy to relive your high school fantasies with?”

She leaned across his lap to open his door. “No, I decided you were the right man to share this grown-up fantasy with.”

“That’s a dangerous position then.” By the feel of his erection poking her ribs, he was right. Cameron slid his hands under her arms and lifted her to face him. Allie automatically opened her knees to sit astride his legs. “Much better, unless you want to face the other way to watch the movie,” he said.

Allie was becoming fast addicted to those crinkly laugh lines around Cameron’s eyes. She scooted an inch closer, bumped his erection, and her eyelids fluttered half shut with pleasure.

He smelled of soap and faintly of orange, which she recognized as the scrub he used to clean his hands at the garage. He skimmed his calloused palms up her arms, and she shivered at the tickle. His blunt, dark eyelashes partially concealed teak-colored eyes. His nose was slightly crooked. She’d bet there was a story behind that. He hadn’t bothered to shave and she traced the dark outline of stubble with her gaze, lingering on his mouth. The individual features weren’t handsome, but when combined, they packed a very sexy punch.

“I figured we could take care of the entertainment ourselves,” she said.

Cameron pushed her loose hair behind her shoulders and left one hand to linger on the back of her neck as he gently pulled her forward. Expecting a soft kiss to match, Allie was caught unaware when he took her bottom lip between his teeth and nipped it, immediately finding the fine line between pleasure and pain. Her breath left her lungs in a whoosh of surprise. He laved away the sting with his tongue, then nipped at her again.

Changing tactics, he teased the corners of her lips with butterfly kisses alternating with taunting licks. This man’s mouth should be registered as a weapon. Just seconds of his non-kisses had her nipples standing at attention ready to salute him.

She wanted his tongue in her mouth. Now.

He had other ideas. He brushed his lips along the curve of her jaw and earlobe. Instead of using his teeth, he sucked the lobe between his lips, shooting a current straight between her thighs. Who knew those two places were hard-wired together?

Lord, if they’d dated as kids, she would’ve been labeled
easy
for sure because with only a few touches, he had her ready to go all the way.

“Cameron...” God, she sounded needy, even to herself.

“Hmm?”

“I need...I need...more.” Pulling at his shoulders, she tried to rock herself forward, seeking something, anything to ease the tension centered between her legs.

He laughed softly, little puffs of air caressing her neck.

“Think it’s funny, do you?” She gritted her teeth and tried to calm her breathing. Here she was close to climaxing already when he wasn’t even panting. It wasn’t supposed to happen like this. She was supposed to be in charge. If it weren’t for the spectacular erection he was sporting, she might’ve pulled back, tried to regain control.

“Nothing funny about you getting turned on, princess. It’s pure-D sexy.”

She wrapped her arms behind his neck. “Then do something about it.” That was
not
a whine edging her words.

“Do you have any idea how much willpower it takes not to rip that skimpy little top down and suck your nipples? To reach under your skirt to push two fingers into you until you can’t remember your own name?”

Wetness drenched her silk panties, and she rolled her forehead against his. The suggestion of him sliding those wide, rough fingers into her over and over again made every girly part of her want to stand up and shout, “Me first, me first.”