Place Your Betts (The Marilyns) (30 page)

“Why?” Betts yawned. “I’m not ready for round two. I need my rest. It’s the middle of the night, for Christ’s sake.”

He cocked his head to the left. “Try a quarter to six. Time for decent folks to wake up.”

Betts shook her head. Her hair was messy, and her eyes were puffy. Good God, she was pretty.

“I don’t know how to take that. Are you saying I’m not decent ’cause I’m asleep, or because I’m decent, it’s time to get up?” She yawned again. “Either way, it’s a bad idea.”

“Open the damn door. This coffee’s giving me third-degree burns.” He wanted to wake up next to her, but this was the best he could do…for now.

“Anyone ever tell you that you’re bossy?” The window slammed shut, and the door opened.

He hopped up the steps.

“Here.” He extended a cup. She was sleep-rumpled, and the thin, white cotton nightgown was almost sheer. Rosy areolas drew his attention. Gabe swallowed and stared.

Betts crossed her arms. “You could pretend to look at my face.”

“Why?” His eyes started at her bare feet and slowly worked upward. There was some lingering between her legs and then up to her breasts. If she’d move her arms, he’d have spent some more time there. Betts was morning mussed and perfect. “You look good enough to eat.”

“Didn’t you already do that a couple of hours ago? I guess if you want to give it another go, I could stand it.” Betts grinned and unclasped her arms, which fell by her sides.

 The beautiful rose tips were back. The gown looked soft to the touch, and he could all but feel her breasts in his hands as he fingered her nipples through the fabric. If he used his tongue, the thin cotton would practically disappear. He’d spent the better part of the night re-familiarizing himself with her body, but it hadn’t been enough. With her, there would never be enough time.

A potholder bounded off his head. Gabe looked up.

Betts grinned. “What’s on your mind?”

Gabe pressed his lips together, and all the heat that had centered in the front of his jeans ran to his face. “I was…um, I had a reason for coming over here, but for the life of me, I can’t remember what it was. That’s some nightgown. Makes a man’s head spin.” Mentally, Gabe backtracked. “Oh, yeah, I wanted to spend some time with you this morning, so I thought you might want to help me in the barn.”

His face burned hotter. It sounded like he wanted free labor.

“I mean, you don’t have to work. I’ll do everything. I just thought…um, I like being with you.” He sounded like a big, fat idiot. He swallowed the lake of saliva in his mouth. “I like looking at you.”

How was he supposed to explain that being with her was like being on vacation? All his worries disappeared because, for those precious pockets of time, nothing else mattered.

“Should I change into something else?” Betts cocked an eyebrow. “Or is the gown part of the fantasy?”

“Red, that gown’s dangerous. You best throw on something else, or I’ll spend all my time plotting to get it off you. Nothing will get done.” Gabe stepped into her and traced the ruffled collar with this index finger. “I wouldn’t mind taking it off you later.”

“I’ll see what I can do.” Betts kissed his cheek, turned around, and walked into her bedroom.

“Stop staring at my butt,” Betts called over her shoulder.

“No can do. A thing of beauty should be admired.” He sipped his coffee. He was happy, stupidly happy, the kind of happy he’d been before Betts had left. This was what life should be.

Five minutes later, Betts stepped into the living room wearing jeans and a green sweater that matched her eyes. Her hair was in a ponytail, and her face was scrubbed clean just as God had made her.

“You look beautiful.” Gabe kissed her lightly on the mouth. The faint taste of minty toothpaste lingered on his lips as he grabbed her hand. “Ready?”

He felt like a teenager on his first date instead of a man about to clean a barn.

“Sure.”

Gabe rested his hand on her back and propelled her to the door. The cool morning air was refreshing and clean. “This is my favorite time of day. Everything’s calm and new. I feel like I’m the only person in the world.”

“You are. Everyone else is asleep.” Betts yawned for good measure.

“Don’t be such a weenie.” Gabe slid his hand down her back and laced his fingers through hers. Simple things. Betts had all the glitz and glamour in the world, so he’d give her simple things.

“Did you just call me a weenie? Don’t think I’ve heard that since the eighth grade.”

“I’m a very complex man.”

“So you keep telling me.” Betts squeezed his hand. “When do I get to start unwrapping those layers?”

“One-track mind.” Gabe shook his head. “You’re probably picturing me naked right now.”

“I would be if I were awake.” Betts yawned again.

“Embrace the morning.” Gabe was cheerful and hopeful and excited. Birds were chirping, and life was full because Betts was with him. Making amends had never been so much fun.

“Good God, you’re a morning person. There ought to be a law against smiling before ten in the morning.” This time, her yawn included a full-body stretch. “The only thing I can embrace this early is a pillow to bury my head under.”

“Don’t make me refer back to the weenie comment.”

“Is name-calling part of your master plan to get me into bed? I have to tell you, it isn’t working.”

“Is sex all you ever think about?” His elbow accidentally on purpose brushed against the side of her breast.

“Watch it, buddy.” She elbowed him in the ribs. “I can spot the accidental boob graze a mile away.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He did it again.

“Stop it.” She kicked his shin lightly. “Speaking of intimate touches—”

“Were we?”

“I was talking about Tom and Kaitlin.” Betts tightened her grip on his fingers.

Talk about a bucket of cold water on the old libido.

“Have you talked to him yet?” Betts stumbled.

Gabe shifted his weight to catch hers. Her breast brushed his arm, and he laughed. “You did that on purpose.”

“Now that was the accidental boob graze done right.” Betts shivered. “Chilly this morning.”

Gabe didn’t have a jacket to give her. Why hadn’t he thought of that?

“What was I supposed to talk to Tom about?” Gabe dropped her hand and wrapped his arm around her, trying to shelter her from some of the wind.

“Sex. I noticed several accidental boob grazes and even an arm-around-the-waist-hand-on-the-butt routine.” She looked up at Gabe. “Think I should buy him some condoms?”

“God, no!” Gabe stopped. “Nothing worse than getting your Trojans from dear old Mom.”

Betts stopped and stared up at him. “That’s the first time you’ve called me that.”

Gabe chewed on the inside of his cheek. He hadn’t meant to say it, but out it had come. Might as well finish it. “Tom looks up to you. He needs you in his life.”

“Really?” Her eyes went big. “Do you think we should tell him the truth?”

He couldn’t predict Tom’s reaction. What if it were bad? The anguish on her face last night was too fresh in Gabe’s mind. He couldn’t hurt her again. “Let’s wait a little while. See how things go.”

The hope on her face dissolved into disappointment. “You’re right. It’s too soon.”

Somehow, he’d find a way to make it up to her. The make-it-up list kept getting longer and longer.

“Thanks for letting me spend time with him.” She leaned up and kissed his cheek. “I didn’t expect it. I didn’t know what to expect.”

When she looked at him like that, falling all over himself doing things for her seemed like a good idea. Gabe looked down and grabbed her hand, pulling her toward the barn.

Gabe unlatched the huge double doors, and the old hinges creaked as they swung open. Hay and horse and leather and dirt and manure all rolled into one perfect morning aroma. He inhaled deeply.

“So, boss, where do you want me?” Betts picked up a pitchfork.

“Flat on your back.” Gabe grinned and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “Ever heard the expression ‘roll in the hay’?”

“I walked into that one.”

“Yep. But I didn’t bring you here to work; I just wanted some company.” He grabbed the pitchfork from her and tossed it into an empty stall. Gabe backed her up against a stall door and braced his hands on either side of her head. “A good-morning kiss would help me start the day.”

Betts ducked under his left arm, walked over to the pitchfork, and scooped it up. “You’ve had several morning kisses, if memory serves, all over your body. Now it’s time for work. I’m not one to sit around and watch. I assume these stalls need to be cleaned out.” She hunched over and scraped up a forkful of hay and muck and then covered her mouth with her arm. “Good Lord, that stinks.”

“Red, where there’s animals, there’s dung. No way around it.” He walked up behind her. “Since you’re so excited about helping me, put your back into it.”

He wrapped his arms around her body, grabbed ahold of the pitchfork, and showed her how to use her back and leg muscles instead of her arms. Her rear end bumped against him. If this was what it was like to share a life with someone, even shoveling shit was fun.

“If I didn’t know better, I’d say you planned this.” Betts relaxed back against him.

“You smell so good. Kinda like peaches and cinnamon.”

“I don’t know how you can smell anything but poop. Can’t you teach the horses to go potty outside like a puppy?” Betts shook off his hands and pushed at his chest.

Gabe let her go. “Puppies don’t weigh half a ton. If they did, you’d let them poop wherever they wanted.” He smacked her on the butt. “Get to work.”

Gabe grabbed the other pitchfork and went to work on the stall across from Betts. In short order, they’d cleaned all the stalls, added fresh hay, and fed and watered the horses. Betts worked hard. She kept up with him. It was hard to imagine her as a famous singer, being adored by fans and traveling the world. It was hard to imagine her anywhere but here.

Betts stood right outside the barn with her eyes fixed to the east.

Gabe draped an arm around her. The sun was coming up. Pinks, golds, purples, and deep oranges slashed across the horizon.

“Beautiful. Simply beautiful.” Betts put her arm around his waist.

“Yes.” Gabe wasn’t looking at the sun. “And the sunrise ain’t bad either.”

“This is…nice.” Her shy smile punctuated the comment.

Contentment came close to overwhelming him. All was right in the world, because Betts was by his side.

An hour later, Betts flipped the omelet up in the air with the panache and grace of a French chef and then caught it in the pan. A happy heart called for a little flamboyance.

The front door to the house slammed. She ran to her door and opened it.

“Tom.” She waved. “Wait up.”

Betts grabbed two sack lunches from the counter and vaulted down the stairs.

“Here you go. One for you and one for Kaitlin.”

“Thanks.” He tossed them in the cab of his truck.

“Have a good day at school.” She walked back to her bus. “Oh, I forgot to ask if it was okay to invite Kaitlin over every night.” She turned around. “Is it?”

A watermelon-slice grin crossed his face. “Yep.”

Maybe that was teenager speak for “what a great idea, thanks for inviting my girlfriend over.”

“Gotta go pick up Kat. Thanks for the lunches.” Tom hopped behind the wheel and started the engine.

Betts tromped back to her trailer and climbed the steps.

Gabe sat at the table with a forkful of her omelet poised at his mouth. How did he do that? As he popped in the bite, he closed his eyes like it was the best thing that had ever crossed his lips.

“Wonderful.” Gabe said around his bite. “Is this black forest ham?”

“That’s mine.” Her stomach growled. “I hope you choke on the mushrooms.”

“Don’t be like that.”

Betts blew the bangs out of her eyes and opened the egg carton. She cracked three eggs into a bowl, whisked them with some milk, and lit the stove. Using the same omelet pan, she melted some butter and poured in the eggs. Scrambling would have to suffice since she was way too hungry to cut up more mushrooms and ham.

“What can I do for you?” Betts stirred her eggs with a spatula. She liked cooking for her man. Her stomach gave another low growl. Grabbing a plate out of the cabinet on her right, she scooped her eggs onto the plate, turned off the heat, and scooted into the seat across from Gabe.

“Did you ever”—his voice cracked—“marry?”

He didn’t beat around the bush.

“No.” Betts stared at her plate.

“Why?”

She squared her shoulders and told the truth. “None of the men I dated were you.”

His eyes went huge. A full minute passed as he stared at her owl-like. His face broke into a grin. “Thank God. I’d hate to think there are two of me in this world.”

“Me too.” If she’d wanted sentiment, she’d picked the wrong man.

“Why ask about marriage now?” She watched him.

“It occurred to me that we should discuss it.” He forced the last bite into his mouth.

“Why?” Was this about his engagement? Was he finally going to talk about it?

“Just making conversation.” He glanced at the clock above the sink. “I need to get going.”

Of course he did. She’d shared a deeply personal revelation, and he ran for the door. Typical.

It was on the tip of her tongue to ask where, but if he wanted her to know, he’d have told her.

“You could walk me out to my truck. That way I could spend a little more time with you, and you could kiss me goodbye.”

Betts slid off the bench. “I might be able to do that.”

Gabe pulled her to him and unclipped her hair. “I have a thing for your hair.” He combed his fingers through it. “I woke up this morning with it draped across my cheek and the peachy scent all around me. That’s my favorite smell. Perfect way to wake up.”

His face held such tenderness that she wanted to wrap herself around him and never let go.

He dropped his hand, opened the driver’s side door to his pickup, and looked back. “I would have died inside if you’d married someone else. I can’t stand the thought of you sharing your life with anyone but me.”