Julia squeezed his hand in comprehension.
He must be held accountable, darling, Bennett whispered.
Julia nodded, her hair brushing the top of his hand.
Tell me again this is what you want.
Very slowly, Julia turned her body away from the sea and toward her husband. She raised her face to him. Her eyes were vacant. Deep crevices framed her mouth. Flesh hung from her once dramatic cheekbones. Kill him, she said, the lack of expression on her face so chilling that Bennett took a step back. Do it for me.
Bennett stifled a gasp. His beautiful wife was a hideous stranger to him noweaten away by hate and loss. How had he let this happen? How had he failed his precious girls so miserably, so totally? How had hea brilliant, powerful, respected manlet a pretty-boy punk like Rick Rousseau ruin their lives?
Im going to get caught, he said to her, matter-of-factly. I fully expect to spend the rest of my life in prison.
Julia shrugged, an act that seemed to drain all the strength from her thin body. She turned away from him and toward the sea.
Bennett knew hed been dismissed. He retreated from the sitting room, the sound of his footsteps echoing through his empty house, the sound of his heart thudding inside his empty shell.
He would do what had to be done, though in truth, there was no passion in himonly exhaustion and a dull sense of duty.
Rick found her place with no trouble. She lived on the second floor of a white stucco apartment building in the Mission District, on a narrow one-way street off Seventeenth. Rick waved at Teeny as his friend pulled his Lexus from the curb with a shake of his head. He wondered how long Teeny would be entertained with how Rick had exchanged his solitude for the companionship of Josie Sheehan. He decided it could be a while.
Rick stopped on the sidewalk and looked up, admiring how flowers and greenery spilled from planters on Josies small wrought-iron balcony. He glanced at the spring bouquet he held in his hand, hoping it didnt pale in comparison. /Rhrrrr… umph./ The sound came from the balcony. Rick looked up again, seeing a bearded snout poke through the balcony railings. Two beady brown eyes zeroed in on him down on the sidewalk.
Genghis, my man. Rick noticed that the dog had yet to benefit from any groomings, free or otherwise.
The Labradoodles tongue lolled over his bottom lip and his tail began twirling like a hairy ceiling fan. /Woomph,/ the dog said. /Woomph.
Woomph. Woomph!/ Josie arrived at the set of French doors and made kissy sounds to get her dog to come inside. Rick saw how shed pulled up her hair and clipped it onto the back of her head, with errant spirals of curls falling down around her face. She looked so pretty, in such an unassuming way. She was nothing like the women hed pursued back in the day, and nothing like the women who continued to pursue him. She was sweet and funny and down-to-earth. There was something almost innocent about her. He knew hed been right that evening at the ranch, when hed told Teeny there was something wholesome about his feelings toward this woman.
Get in here, you beast, she snapped.
Im coming as fast as I can, Rick replied, laughing at the shocked look on her face and how she blushed outrageously.
Oh, my God! Not you! Youre not a beast… are you? Josie looked as flustered as she sounded. Youre early! How long have you been down there?
Long enough to know Id rather be up there with you.
Josie scrunched her lips, clearly trying to tame an all-out, full-mouth smile of delight. She managed to reach the railing before her grin broke loose.
Whats up, Juliet? Rick asked.
Josie wrapped her fingers around the iron rail and beamed down on him.
Her round cheeks blazed and her eyes sparkled. /Wooomph,/ Genghis said, rising on his back legs and plopping his paws on the rail.
The doors open, she said, running inside.
Josie greeted Rick at the top of the stairs a moment later. Shed let down her hair, and it fell in soft curls at her shoulders. She was wearing a pair of jeans and a cute pink top that showed just a hint of freckled cleavage. She looked soft and round and he was drowning in the need to plant his face in the crook of her neck and sink his fingers into her flesh. But he thought better of it. It was an odd feeling, second-guessing himself like that. He couldnt remember the last time hed ever done anything with a woman except exactly what he wanted, exactly when he wanted, for as long as hed wanted. The last time hed been this conflicted had to have been before puberty.
A large brown fur ball zoomed around the corner, sailed through the air, and body-slammed him. Rick nearly fell on his ass from the impact, which surely would have crushed the flowers he held behind his back.
Sit! Josie commanded. Genghis removed his paws from Ricks chest and assumed the position, though his entire body wiggled with excitement.
Josie wrapped her hand around the dogs collar and looked up at Rick, clearly embarrassed. Im very sorry. Were still working on polite greetings.
Rick laughed at the understatement, running his free hand over the front of his disheveled shirt, feeling for rips and missing buttons. Finding none, he smiled at her. I have to admit its been a while since Ive been molested like that.
Josie grimaced.
Maybe next time it can be you instead of your dog? Rick whipped the bouquet from behind his back and held it out to her. These are for you, Josephine Sheehan, he said, offering up the florists creation. Hed asked for something seasonal and simple, yet pretty. He hoped it fit the bill.
Theyre gorgeous! Josie grabbed the bouquet with both hands and buried her nose in the fragrance exactly the way he longed to inhale the hills and valleys of her flesh. She rose on her tiptoes and planted a soft kiss on his cheek. That was really sweet of you. Come on in.
Before he could take a step, Josie pointed sternly to the floor and ordered Genghis to lie down. Surprisingly, he did as commanded, for about three seconds.
Rick followed Josie into the apartment. He knew he should have used those first moments to respectfully look around her living room.
Instead, he rudely ogled her round ass as she hustled into the kitchen for a vase. She had a firm, full bottom and thighs that looked like theyd be a handful of solid heaven.
When she turned the corner, taking her ass with her, Rick had no choice but to glance around the place. It wasnt huge, but it made a statement, and shed obviously put a lot of thought into how it looked. The wood floors were polished to a sheen. The high ceiling was a dazzling white.
And the far wall was the color of a ripe plum, so purple it was almost black. The other walls were a pale green, and there were plants, and lots of colorful artwork and pillows throughout an otherwise neutral room.
This is a nice place. Did you paint it yourself?
Absolutely, she replied from the kitchen. Do you like it? Most people find the color a little over-the-top. /Oooh-whooaaaahhh!/ Rick yelped, the sudden jab to his crotch catching him by surprise. With nose firmly in place, Genghis began snuffling at his trousers with unabashed enthusiasm.
So you dont really like it, then? Josie rounded the doorway with the flowers in a vase, a cute little frown marring her forehead.
Rick decided to cut Genghis some slack. He discreetly pushed the dog to the side of his leg so Josie wouldnt see his infraction. No, no. I do like it. Its really different.
Right. Thats what my sister, Beth, said, and I /know/ she hated it.
Josie placed the flowers on the coffee table and sat on the couch.
Rick joined her, Genghis on his heels. As soon as Rick reached the sofa cushions, Genghis plunged his nose into his lap again.
No! Down! The dog withdrew his snout, crawled under the coffee table, and peered up at them guiltily. Josie shook her head and groaned. I know hes obnoxious, and I apologize. Im working on it. He had six introduction obedience classes, but I havent been very consistent since, and I think hes regressing.
Rick chuckled, afraid to imagine the dogs interest in crotches prior to obedience training. You know, Celestial Pet offers convenient classes right in the store. We have a staff of professional dog trainers. Id be happy to set something up for you.
Josie nodded. Oh, I know! Theyre great! Genghis graduated from the Level 1 program in your Daly City store.
Rick tried to smile, making a mental note to check into the standards of the obedience program, chain-wide. In fact, he thought it might even be time to hire that animal behaviorist consultant everyone had been raving about. Rick took a quick glance down at Genghis, still peering up from beneath the coffee table.
Beth said that if you can tolerate my dog, youre a keeper.
He laughed, thinking maybe Beth was on to something. So you told your sister about me?
Josie shrugged, the blush returning to her cheeks. She had such creamy skin on her face and throat, and he allowed himself to study the contours of her neck and shoulders and collarbones. He stopped his eyes from continuing southward.
Would you like to know what I told her?
When Rick looked up, he found that a smile touched Josies lips. Sure, he said.
I told her you were special, that there was something really decent about you.
Rick felt his body flinch. /Decent?/ As unexpected as it was unwanted, the image of Margot flooded his mind, the gray face and skeleton-thin body. She looked dead even as the machines continued to beep and whir, doing what had to be done to keep her alive. Margot had ceased to be long before her body gave out. Shed vanished that June night seven years ago, after Rick grabbed her by the waist and plopped her down on the back of his Harley, insisting they leave the party together and go for a wild ride in the rain. Theyd laughed and laughed as he spread her legs apart to straddle the bike. Shed kissed him hungrily and told him he could wear the only helmetshe didnt want to mess up her hair. Rick felt her breasts and belly push up against his back as he revved up the Harley engine. He put the bike in gear and she playfully bit him on the back of the neck. It was reckless. Crazy. Wrong. The pot and beer and cocaine coursed through him, along with the thrill of the hunt. There wasnt a single thing that was decent about that night in the Rhode Island rain. There wasnt a single decent thing inside his soul.
Are you hungry, Rick?
Josies voice brought him back to the present, and the sight of her sweet and trusting face flooded him with conflict. He wanted to warn her to stay away from him. He wanted to take her to bed. Maybe Teeny had been right…
Would you like a glass of wine?
No, thank you. I dont drink.
Oh. Okay. Josie nodded.
Rick waited to see the comprehension spread over her face, laced as it usually was with pity or judgment. He saw neither. Instead she gave him a sweet smile and placed her satiny hand over his. Then lets get some ginger ale and you can help me with dinner.
Before she could get up, he pulled her tight into his arms, feeling a hot rush of emotion welling up in him, nearly choking him. He squeezed her supple body. She squeezed him back. He held on for dear life. /Dear life/what a perfect description that was. Life was a treasure, and hed thrown his away seven years before, only to spend every second of every day since trying to find it again, rebuild it from the inside out.
And up until he met Josie, he was certain a woman could never fit into his new existence.
Rick felt Josies warm breath against his ear as he squeezed her tight.
He inhaled her hair and skinso fresh and sweet.
Is something wrong? Josies question came out in a gentle whisper. Are you okay? She pressed her body flush against his.
Im good, Rick croaked, determined not to crumble in her arms ten minutes into their date. He steeled himself. I sure like the way you feel.
She giggled, and her flesh rubbed against him. You feel pretty incredible, too. I noticed that when you kissed me Monday.
With a steadying breath, Rick relaxed his grip on Josie and gently pushed her away. He looked into pretty gray eyes clouded with concern.
Ive always loved eggplant Parmesan, he said, obviously changing the subject.
One of Josies eyebrows shot high on her forehead. Seriously?
Absolutely.
While theyd been talking, Genghis had wandered off. He chose that moment to return, and dropped something in Ricks lap. It landed with a thud.
It took Rick a full second to get his brain to cooperate with his eyes, because he swore that balanced across his left thigh was a largish phallus, and it wasnt his. It was rubbery. And it had an off/on switch.
He heard Josie gasp. Oh, my God, she whispered. Oh, no. She scrambled for it, but Rick snatched it away and held it beyond her reach. Josie fell across his lap, clawing the air to get it from him.
Rick tried his best not to laugh. He held the dildo into the light and examined it, while Genghis came closer, his tail whirring and flipping and his beady eyes lit with delight. Clearly, the dog was interested in playing fetchwith the penis.
I thought you got all your dog toys at Celestial Pet, Rick said, snickering.
Im going to die now. She buried her face in Ricks thigh.
Im pretty sure this gem was never in our inventory. I would have remembered.
Genghis jumped straight into the air and snatched the dildo from Ricks hand. His tooth must have flipped the power switch because as the dog ran off with the sex toy, it began to vibrate and wiggle in his jaws.
The crazed look in his eye revealed just how much fun he was having.
Josie suddenly jumped to her feet and raced after her dog. Drop it, dammit! she called out. Leave it! No! Drop it! Bad dog! Then she let loose with a string of curses Rick hoped to hell hadnt been part of his stores canine obedience curriculum, all while the dog looked like he was having the time of his life.
At that point, Rick decided the hell with it, and allowed himself to laugh. He laughed harder than hed laughed in seven years. Tears formed in his eyes as he watched the possessed, penis-chomping Labradoodle and his curly-headed owner racing in circles around the living room.