The Bride Wore Starlight (22 page)

“But no real name?”

“Didn't Sadie tell you?”

“No. She hasn't offered anything from your . . . correspondence.”

“Ah. A woman of discretion. Well, Joely, everybody and everything has a real name. It's just whether they choose to share it. I'm not sure the real name of the thing you saw across the street is what you think it is.”

She was too intrigued by the man's existential rambling to be offended. His pop-spiritualism fit with his ponytail better than his clothing did.

“What do I think it is?”

“A man interested in a woman.”

“Every man is interested in that woman.” She laughed drily. “Men like perfect things. I know. I used to be fairly perfect.”

“And you aren't any longer?”

She laughed for real.

“You know,” he said, “most things look one way and are nothing as they seem. Like you. Your inside does not match your outsides, but don't people jump to conclusions about who you are? It's always up to you to set aside the conclusions you jump to and find out what's really going on. What the true name of something is.”

“Are you some sort of Indian guru? A shaman? A spiritual leader?”

“Hardly. I just learned early on that we can't take anything for granted and very little at face value. Sometimes even people and places, solid ground that we've depended and stood on our entire lives are not what they seem.”

She got the clear impression he was not talking about Alec and Heidi any longer.

“All right . . . ”

“If I were you, I'd go at least tell that couple in there
your
real name. Some people learn early on how to take advantage of a hand they're dealt. But some of us take a little longer.”

The man was not dangerous. But he was definitely certifiable. “You sound like a wise man,” she said, hoping maybe he'd take it as a nice little wrap-up to their conversation.

“Not wise. I am a little bit crazy, however.” He smiled as if the admission should reassure her. “But this time, I know what I'm talking about. You greet your grandmama for me, hear? Tell her Trampas said hello again.”

In the literal blink of her astonished eye, Mayberry disappeared. She swung her gaze around and saw him behind her, already twenty-five feet away. How did the elderly man move that quickly?

Trampas? Of the Mantervilles her grandmother had told her about? How was that possible? She couldn't fathom why he'd be here all these years after the time Grandma Sadie had described. And living as a homeless man spouting wisdom in the form of weird riddles? She pinched herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming. Maybe she wasn't really divorced from Tim, and she was pinching herself in her bed at home.

But the breeze danced through her hair, and people continued filing past her on the busy street, their boots, shoes, and flip-flops percussing the air. Linden blooms from the park behind her filled out the scene with sweet fragrance. Her dreams were never that full of sensual detail.

Go tell them my real name.

What did that even mean? Everything has a name, he'd said. She supposed that applied to situations as well as things and people, but what was the name of this situation? Anger? Jealousy? Misunderstanding?

It hit her like a splash of ice water to the face. The name of this situation was Screwed Up, as in, she'd screwed up. In a huge way. She didn't want Alec out of her life. Not yet. Not before she figured out why every time she thought about him her emotions and her body took her on a roller coaster of feelings. He could make her tingle—he could make her feel like her body was on fire, actually, all from a kiss. He could make her angry and resentful. He could make her feel safe. How could she deny herself the chance to find out what it all meant?

But he was in the restaurant with Heidi. That hadn't taken him long—two days? What did that mean about his feelings? Clearly there hadn't been much of a fire for him. What did she really need to find out?

“It's up to you to set aside the conclusions you jump to and find out what's really going on.” That's what Mayberry had said. It seemed like universally good advice.

Finding the courage to investigate, though—that was a skill she wasn't sure she had.

She closed her eyes. First she pictured Tim and the shock on his face over her assertiveness. Then she pictured Alec, laughing intimately with gorgeous, full-bodied—in more ways than one—Heidi. Were they laughing about her over ice cream or pie?

Mortification sprouted and she nearly blew off Mayberry/Trampas and rolled straight for home. She didn't need this aggravation. Fortunately, her brain was stronger than her yellow spine. She was ridiculous—why would they waste time talking about her? It was pure arrogance to think she'd have that kind of power over someone else's date.

She'd just proven to Tim and to herself she was not a door mat, and she didn't have to let herself be bullied. If she wanted Alec Morrissey, she had to go fight for him.

The idea was so far out of her comfort zone she might as well have been contemplating a naked pole dance in front of her grandmother. Nonetheless, she pushed herself away from the park entrance and stopped analyzing the choice. She didn't let herself think about what would happen inside the shop. The only plan she had was surprise. It was a stupid plan, but she could work with stupid. She'd had some practice lately.

She almost gave up when she faced the crosswalk. She had her wheelchair. How was that going to play? The shop was small. She'd get in the door, but she had no idea if she could navigate the angles around the tables. A moment of angry bravado could turn into a comedy of the klutzy. She'd see even more laughter from Heidi and Alec. No way.

But something wouldn't let her turn around. For long moments she sat in an unobtrusive spot next to a wooden bench in front of Wanda's gift shop trying to figure out why she was acting on the word of an odd old man she didn't even know.

Alec.

She imagined in one quick flash having him in her life. No delusions of forever, simply happy anticipation of what they could explore together—maybe including that hot cowboy body of his. At the very least more amazing kisses. And the comfort and safety, thought-provoking though it was, Alec brought to her entire being just by being around.

That was why she wanted to heed Mayberry's words. However crazy he might be—or she might be for acting on his words—he'd galvanized her feelings. Shoving away her doubts, she wheeled her chair to Ina's door.

She didn't see Alec or Heidi when she rolled past the main picture window. She'd decided to stay in her chair and not be too proud to ask for help, but at the last moment she changed her mind. She set her wheels' brakes beside the building and stood, balancing on her good leg, taking a little weight on the bad. She folded the chair, let it rest against the building, and then using the wall and door for stability, she entered the ice cream shop slowly but under her own power. One step, two, three, four . . . she assessed the distance to the counter. More than four steps remained.

“Joely!” Bonnie McAllister came around the counter and met her. With a huge hug, she gave Joely an excuse to stand still for a moment and steady her balance.

“Hi, Bonnie. It's great to see you again.”

“You come for the usual?” Bonnie winked.

“Wolf Paw Chunk.” She smiled. Despite the bismark she'd eaten with Tim, if she had to order something as a cover, a small dish of Ina's signature concoction, half dark chocolate and half milk chocolate ice cream with dark and milk chocolate chunks in it, would be small sacrifice. “Maybe in a few minutes.”

She caught sight of them over Bonnie's shoulder. They sat in an end booth, their profiles to her. It was no surprise to see Heidi's jaw moving a mile a minute. What was a surprise was the look of forced pleasantry on Alec's face. Joely's heart gave a little leap. She might not know him perfectly, but she knew what excitement looked like on him, and this wasn't it. The surge in her pulse gave her confidence just enough boost to refine her plan. Surprise—plus great acting ala Alec Morrissey.

“I was surprised to see them come in together.” Bonnie followed Joely's gaze. “Weren't you seeing him?”

“Nothing exclusive,” she replied, adding a faked breeziness to her voice. “But, in fact, I did come in to meet them.”

“Ahhh! For some reason I feel better about that.” Bonnie winked again. “Go get him, my friend.”

It was far too soon to let words like that ramp up her hopes, but they did. She gave Bonnie another squeeze and turned toward Alec and Heidi's booth. They didn't notice her making her way slowly from table to table. She concentrated on each step, hoping the exertion of trying to make the walk look smooth didn't show. Halfway across the room a muscle spasm knifing through her back halted her progress. She held in a gasp, bent slightly, and prayed for it to go away. When it released, she went on. She was less than six feet away when Alec saw her. His immediate transformation made every twinge and knot in her back worth it.

“Joely?” He shot to his feet and reached for her hand. “What are you doing here?”

Heidi didn't smile. “Yes, what are you doing? Look at you, making your way without a chair. That's so brave.”

Joely ignored the barb and concentrated on putting every ounce of annoyance into a worthy performance, prefaced with a wink at Alec.

“Did you forget?” she asked. “We were going to meet here at eight thirty to discuss those lessons.” His face went so blank she could have molded his features into any emotion she wished. She laughed. “It's all right. We made the plans so last minute.”

His eyebrows shot high, disappearing into his bangs, and laughter filled his eyes. “Oh, that's right. Jeez, Joely, I did forget. I am so, so sorry. Heidi had some ideas about the rodeo, and I was giving her some names of people who might help her, since I'm not available.”

“He's a stubborn man.” Heidi finally allowed a smile to slip onto her lips—a pouty, teasing look aimed straight at Alec. “I would love him to be the spokesman for Bisset Furniture and the face for our sponsored riders. He's steadfastly refused despite all my best offers.”

Joely could just bet what those offers included.

“I don't do ‘be the face.' ” He smiled. “I think she understands and will forgive me.”

“Oh, what's to forgive?” Heidi practically purred the question. “Just take me to dinner, and we'll call it good.”

He turned wide eyes on Joely and she almost laughed at the reined-in despair. She wasn't too late to pull this off.

“Alec doesn't hold grudges, Heidi.” She didn't look at the woman in the booth. To Alec, she raised her brow in a question she hoped he understood.
Forgive me?
“You'll have to check his schedule about the dinner, though. I've got him booked for a while.”

He rubbed his jaw, working hard to cover a grin. “That's right. When do you want to start those driving lessons?”

“Driving?” She gave him her most astounded look—she hoped—and her legs shook a little as she plunged all the way in. “Oh, no, not those! I meant when we talked about getting me back in the saddle and you showing me your strategies. You agreed to be my new riding instructor.”

She gave him a moment for it to sink in before she leaned toward him, inhaling the scent of his soap, his skin, his chocolate-sweet breath, and whispered, “Close your mouth, you big goof, or she won't believe this. You want me to rescue you or not?”

“R
IDING INSTRUCTOR
?” H
EIDI
flew from the booth at that and placed her hand urgently on Alec's shoulder. “You told me you weren't riding anymore.”

“Since when do riding instructors have to be mounted in order to give a lesson?” Joely asked. “Alec was a world-class rider, and now he knows what it's like to have an injury that affects control of the horse. He's the best person I know to give me some pointers.”

Her performance pleased her. She sounded for all the world like she couldn't wait to get on a horse, when in truth the thought terrified her more than driving. Alec's broad grin as he settled into his role in this ruse, however, calmed her. She knew from experience she would now have to mount up at some point—he'd settle for nothing less—but she'd grin and bear it just to pay back fate for this moment. Her second show of doing what she wanted, consequences be damned, of the day.

“I don't ride broncs anymore.” Alec smiled indulgently at Heidi. “But I have been on a horse once or twice. I can help Joely get her confidence back. I understand she's still got a few records that stand, so she's one of the greats, too.”

“Yes. It's so sad when tragedy strikes a superstar.” Heidi's words, almost mumbled more than spoken, nonetheless hid none of her sarcasm. She dropped her hand from Alec's arm and returned his smile. Hers didn't carry to her eyes.

“I can see that our lovely time here has come to an end. It was divine running into you, and I hope we can do it again soon.”

“It's a small place. I'm sure we'll see each other again.”

“Thank you for the ice cream. And the contacts.”

“Sorry I couldn't be of more help.”

“Well . . . ” For a moment Heidi's familiar flirtatiousness returned. “You know you certainly could be with one little word. ‘Yes' is easy to say.”

“It's nice of you to offer, but yes is not a smart thing to say if you can't deliver.”

“Oh, Alec Morrissey.” Her hand returned to its favorite spot on his upper arm, and she stroked slowly down the bicep. “You would definitely deliver. That is not the question.”

She stepped back and placed the same hand she'd just petted Alec with on Joely's upper back. “
So
good to see you, Joely. You take care of yourself, hear? I hope you continue to get better.”

For the first time, Joely had to grit her teeth and force her smile to stay in place. “Why, thank you,” she managed. “
So
nice of you to care. Alec's here to see that I definitely do.”

Heidi left with a toss of her platinum ponytail and a sway of her scantily clad hips. Once she was out the door, Joely buried her face in her hands.

“Oh, good Lord,” she said. “I feel like I just went a round in middle school.”

Deep and hearty, Alec's laugh filled the air, and he grasped her upper arms, swinging her slowly around to face him. He released her arms to take her hands and pull them away from her face.

“Hi,” he said.

“Hi.” Her heart thrummed in happy excitement. His eyes shone a smoky amber, with that color rimmed with a hot, molten bronze.

“Before we even begin to touch on why you're here, I need you to know that you were, both an answer to a prayer and completely brilliant,” he said.

“Yeah, that's not like me,” she said with a self-deprecating laugh.

“It's completely like you. Now tell me how I got so lucky that you decided to come.”

She fought for only a moment with the truth. It would be easy to say something flippant—that's what they always did when the emotions started to flow. Instead she pushed back her fears yet again. “I saw you walk in here with Heidi, and I didn't like it.”

His grin spread even wider. “You didn't?”

She shook her head. “I really didn't. I was jealous, a little. Okay, a lot. It hit me over the head that I wasn't finished deciding whether I liked you or not. I'm—”

His lips pressed down on hers in a hot, frenzied crush. With quick hands he ran his fingers through her hair and held her head, tightly, desperately, giving his kiss a solid place to roam hungrily. She wrapped her arms around his waist, snaked them up to his mid back, and clung there, kneading in time to her thrusting tongue. Liquid sluiced to a hot spot between her thighs, and she pushed her hips into his, a moan that she felt more than heard escaping into his opened mouth.

He twisted and tasted, sent shockwave after wave into her pulsing feminine core, and held her firmly upright when she wanted to buckle in sweet desire. No way was she giving as good as she got, but she tried anyway—dancing with his tongue, moving in time with his sensuous mouth, craving more of the searing breakers of pleasure rolling through her.

“Ahem. This is a family establishment. Shall I call the Roadhouse down the street or would you prefer the newer Marriott Courtyard out on the highway?”

Bonnie stood before them, hands on hips, a droll smile lifting her lips. Joely turned from the kiss with burning cheeks but smiled back. Alec's lips remained on her temple.

“Sorry. Told you I was looking for him.”

“If I'd have known what for, I would have stopped you.” Bonnie's teasing finally broke them fully apart. She waved her hand from one to the other. “But I told you I like this better than the other and I meant it. Your sisters are married off and boring now—time for a little new romantic blood.”

“Whoa.” Joely laughed. “It's just a kiss.”

“Uh-huh. Can I get you two non-love birds anything?”

Alec questioned her with his eyes, and she shook her head. “I'll just pay my bill, and we'll get out of your hair.”

“Hey,” Bonnie said, “I only broke it up because those two came in. You know how teenagers like to spread stuff around.”

Two young teen girls stood at the counter looking over the case of ice cream selections. They weren't paying any attention to the adults, but they would have soon enough.

“Thanks.” Joely laughed. “I guess you really don't need a reputation as the make-out spot.”

“Happens enough anyhow. There's something about ice cream.”

It felt entirely familiar to fall into step and let him support her weak side as they left the shop. She hadn't paid much attention to her back in the past ten minutes, but once outside she could feel the muscles along her spine start to tighten as if there were fists top and bottom twisting them like steel ropes. She leaned harder into his side without meaning to.

“You okay there, sexy?” He grinned.

She nodded and flexed her shoulders, hoping to ward off the growing pain. This happened sometimes. It's why she didn't walk on her own.

“Hey, wait, you're hurting.” The amber in his eyes flared to green and gold with concern.

“Muscle spasms. They don't last once I rest a little. There's my chair.”

“Oh no. No chair for you, sweetheart. Your chariot with its three hundred and eighty-five horses is right around the corner.”

“You know what? I'll take you and your chariot up on that kind offer.”

“Whoa, now
that's
new,” he said.

“Don't you tease me,” she warned. “That was hard. I got myself here; I should be able to get myself back.”

“Hey.” He placed his forehead against hers. “I wasn't teasing. And I know all about your independent streak. But this is you learning how to channel it efficiently, and it's a good thing. Makes your life easier and mine more fun, because I get to drive you home.”

It felt wonderful to climb into the familiar seat and let her backbone curve into the comfortable bucket. Almost immediately the ropes of her muscles began to untwist, and she closed her eyes. The shivers began anew the instant Alec took her hand. They only intensified when he started stroking her palm with his thumb. By the time they reached her apartment, he'd almost succeeded in heating her up to restaurant status without a single further kiss. How had she ever thought it made sense to send him away?

Still, Sunday's big scene was the night's elephant in the room—and they couldn't pretend it hadn't happened.

Although, in front of her door, they did try.

“Come in,” she said when he stood beside her. “We should talk.”

She made to turn for the doorknob, but he turned her back to him and lowered his mouth just as hungrily as he had at Ina's. The difference this time was their total lack of audience and a pressure deep inside that had already been built up once. It took no time for the surge of power to rise again. Lips, tongue, teeth, nibbles, bites, suction, and deep, stroking dance moves—everything played together and harmonized into an erotic build-up that left them both murmuring and panting.

“You taste like sugar and wine,” he said. “Like potent alcohol I should be careful about drinking. And you smell like a forest of minty oranges. Is that me going crazy?”

“Oil,” she whispered. “Mandarin and peppermint. It's supposed to give me confidence.”

“Does it?”

“Confidence enough to kiss you.” She smiled against his lips. He took her top one between his and licked it slowly with the tip of his tongue. A cascade of sparks sizzled across her shoulders.

He pushed her back against the wall beside her door and locked her there with his body. His mouth opened, letting her lip go but making way for a deeper assault. She reached as far around his hips as she could, grabbed the hard muscles of his seat and yanked him to her without finesse, arching her pelvis to meet his, causing heat to explode through her limbs. He rocked into her hard to soft and she whimpered into his mouth.

“Open the door.” His voice came out raspy and quick.

“Is that a good idea?”

“Probably not.”

“Okay.”

He pulled away enough for her to turn. Before she did, she pulled her key from her pocket and giggled, running its tip playfully down his nose, between his pecs, and just past his navel.

“Hello,” he said.

“There are lots of kinds of doors.” She ignored the flare of embarrassment at her boldness and in response it faded almost immediately. If somebody had hinted earlier that she'd be standing here tonight making sexual come-ons to Alec Morrissey, she'd have called them all kinds of delusional. Now she felt drunk on the crazy events of the past hour.

“I only care about one of them,” he replied. “Open it.”

They nearly fell into the living room, groaning and laughing. She lost track of details as he kicked the door shut and lifted her into his arms. Her good leg wrapped around his hips, the other leg, tighter tonight and less flexible, only reached as high as the back of his thigh. He carried her smoothly, so quickly, to her sofa, turned and sank with her on his lap into the deep leather cushions.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“Better than. But I'm thinking about you. How do you stay so strong with me hanging on your neck, throwing your leg off balance?”

“I think about every move I make, although I do it in the back of my mind most of the time. Believe me, walking is not distracting me at the moment.”

“The extra weight on your leg doesn't hurt?”

“It doesn't matter in the least.”

She started to protest that he was in pain, but he slid her hips forward on his lap and locked her against the firm length of his arousal. Sparks fired off for all the hidden parts of her body. “Any discomfort has very little to do with my leg,” he said and kissed her again, making her forget she'd wanted to say anything.

She melted into him, meshing at the spot that quickly became the focus of every nerve in her body. A sweet groan escaped her lips, and he pressed gently upward—fanning the sparks hotter. She reached for his kiss and he gave it, lipping her, kissing, open-mouthed and playful. She studied what he liked, what made him twitch beneath her, or what made him groan in pleasure. The frantic first discoveries that had driven them into the house melted into sensual exploration.

He lifted into her again, causing
her
to whimper in pleasure.

“Soft,” he whispered. “Girls are so much softer than guys. Sexy. Sweet.”

“Soft wouldn't matter without hard,” she replied. “We need that from you.”

“Man alive, the things you say.”

Deliberate. Unhurried. They kissed and touched, building the passion, learning to synchronize. One strong-fingered hand slid under her shirt, journeyed up her side and burrowed beneath her bra. After pushing it out of his way, he cupped her breast and grazed his thumb over the tip, plying the nipple with gentle strokes until it rose into his touch.

“I guess there's a little hardness to be found on even the softest of girls.” He transferred his lips to the side of her neck and goose bumps poured down her body and into her belly. Some pooled there, the rest raced for her toes.

Digging and scrabbling at the hem, she found her own path to the skin beneath his polo shirt and ran the pads of her fingers up his stomach, pulling back enough to give herself room. She reached his chest, splayed her fingers over the flat plane of his breast, and sighed when she buried her touch in a soft thatch of hair.

“You have hair on your chest. Marry me tomorrow.”

“That's your criteria?” He squeezed her breast softly, regenerating the gooseflesh all over her body.

“Not a deal breaker, but it is icing on the cake.” She shivered deliciously. “What you're doing there? With that hand? That's the clincher.”

“Okay then. I have to leave now, though, so I can get the ring.”

“Don't need a ring.”

“You have no concept of getting what you want, do you?” He chuckled, rocked against her, pulled back and scraped her T-shirt all the way up her body until he exposed her breast. Bending forward, bracing her spine with a strong hold, he closed his lips over her skin and let his tongue take over what his fingers had so expertly accomplished until then.