Beale Street Blues (13 page)

"No problem." Mr. Crawford jabbed at some hot dogs and corn. "Would you like something to eat?"

"No thank you," he said as he walked toward Darling.

His mother lingered behind. "I'd love one of those burgers," his mother said. "No tomato if you wouldn't mind."

As he neared Darling, she let go of the young boy she'd finally caught and glared. "What are you doing here? How did you know where I lived?" She stomped toward him.

The anger of her words froze him where he stood. Lifting the box he carried, he said, "Barbara told me you needed this, and asked me to deliver it." He glanced over his shoulder at his car. "I have more in the trunk of my car."

She attempted to snatch the boxes from his arms. Their weight or his grip deterred her.

"Just drop them." She turned and walked away.

He trailed behind her. Something about the moment reminded him of the first night they'd spent together. Except, this time, he had on his pants. "Darling, I wasn't trying to intrude."

"You can leave now," she said as she took the longest strides her legs would allow across the yard away from him.

He needed to take control of the situation and her. "Darling, stop." People around them stared. "Is there someplace we can talk?"

She stopped and crossed her arms across her body. "About what?"

He wanted to drop the boxes, pick her up and fling her over his shoulder. If he could get her away from the gawking crowd maybe, he could get her to listen. "Darling, we should talk."

"I don't want to talk." She headed toward the backyard. "It's the weekend. I'm on my time, not yours."

"I thought I was invited." He kept following her. "But, I guess that part was a lie." He followed her into the modest home. They stood in the home's small dining room, which was tastefully decorated with a china cabinet filled with matching sets of plates and porcelain cups. The wood table in the center of the room only sat four. Big enough for Darling, her mother and father, plus one seat for a guest.

"What do you want?" she asked.

"I apologize if I shouldn't be here. But, I thought Barbara called to tell you I was coming."

Darling leaned against the fridge behind her and crossed her arms underneath her small breasts. What she did in anger only tempted him. The gentle bounce of her breasts against her arms made him hunger for another opportunity to caress her nipples with his tongue and hear her moan for more of him.

"Well, she didn't. I don't even know how she knew where my parents lived."

He placed the boxes on the carpeted floor. "If you don't want us here, I'll grab mom and we'll leave." He left the kitchen feeling like one of the biggest idiots. How could he have fallen for Barbara's high school trick? Shit! He wanted to believe her. That's why. When he stepped into the backyard, he bumped into the woman that reminded him so much of Darling.

"Are you leaving?" she asked.

"Yes, ma'am." There was no reason for him to stay.

"You just got here. You can't leave. Your mom is reading to a group of the children." She grabbed his arm and led him back to the front yard. "We'll get you a plate and if you have time, you can relieve my husband on the grill."

As much as he'd love the chance to spend one more moment with Darling, he didn't want to be the laughing stock of the party. "I don't know if that's a good idea."

She squeezed his arm a little tighter. "It's a perfect idea." She dragged him over to the grill. "I'm Darling's mother, Shannon Crawford."

"I'm Jaxon."

"I know exactly who you are." She grinned as they came to a stop in front of the grill.

Mr. Crawford looked up from his duties as head chef. "So, you're my relief?"

Jaxon stared at the food and searched his memory for the last time he'd actually grilled anything. College. A mixer with one of the sororities. He'd gotten drunk and ended up in bed with someone he barely knew. Everything on the grill had burned. "I don't know about that sir, I'm not the best on the grill."

"Well, you better learn quick." He laughed. "This can be a mean crowd if you burn their smoked sausages."

Darling's angry steps crushed the grass beneath her feet as she neared the grill. "Mom, dad…what are you doing?"

"Honey, we needed a few more hands. Your dad needs a break." Her mom smiled at him. "Your friend Jaxon has agreed to help us out for a while." She allowed her eyes to sweep over the two of them. "Isn't that sweet?" she asked rhetorically.

"Mom, dad, this is my boss and that's his mother." She glanced over her shoulder at Jaxon's mom, and then shook her head. "They are just being nice. I'm sure they have something else to do with their day." Her eyes pleaded with Jaxon.

"Well, son, do you have something else to do?" her father asked.

For a moment, he watched his mother who had children of all ages mesmerized with whatever story she read as she hopped around like a kangaroo. "No, sir. I think we're fine."

"Great. Darling, you stay here and help him, while your mom and I take a break."

Darling's expression was a mixture of anger and sadness. "Dad—" she pleaded.

"Have fun, honey," her dad tossed the words into the air as he walked away with her mother.

As much as Darling wanted to see him, she didn't want to see him. Not here at her parents' home. She'd been running around barefoot and her hair looked a mess. Without checking herself out in a mirror, she felt sure that somewhere on her body, there was barbeque and orange soda compliments of Cedric. And in front of her stood the one man that both excited her and made her feel ashamed. "Jaxon, how could you believe Barbara, and show up here at my family's home?"

"I don't know what to say to you, but I—"

"But, what?" If she looked at him, she'd probably curse him out. She snatched the grilling fork from its resting place and used it to spear hot dogs and sausages before she tossed them into the empty aluminum pan she'd nearly crumpled. "But, what Jaxon?"

His head lowered, and he whispered against her ear. "I wanted it to be true."

The warmth of his breath against her skin confused her thoughts. What did he say? Why would he lie to her? "You wanted to spend your Sunday with me?" He had the model, and she was sure there were so many others that'd be more than willing to spend their Sunday with him.

He placed a hand on her left hip and took a step closer.

She took a step back and tried to take another, but he gave her hip a light squeeze, and she stopped. That touch reminded her of the night they'd spent dancing. She'd never be able to get this man out of her head.

He kept his mouth where it was. "I find myself thinking about you often and I enjoy spending time with you."

None of the events of the past weeks should've happened. No matter how much she'd enjoyed spending time with him, it made no sense. He and his mother didn't fit into her world. She watched his mother play with the children because she couldn't dare glance into his beautiful green eyes. Standing so near to him made her body buzz and her mind cloud. "Where's the blonde?" she asked.
Just curious.

He took a step back and stared into her eyes. "There's no one."

It didn't matter how good those words made her feel, she knew she was right. "Jaxon, I thought we agreed."

He placed a hand on her chin and forced her to look at him. "No. I told you I would do what you wanted."

"Yes, but I thought you wanted it, too."

He dropped his hand to his side. "Damn it, Darling. You know it's not what I want."

"Jaxon, look at your mother. Look at me and my family." She didn't understand why this was so difficult for him. Couldn't he see what she saw? There was nothing she could offer him. They came from two different worlds.
Just like her and her ex.
Right now, she was interesting, but eventually he'd become bored with her, too. Or, think she and her family weren't good enough.

If they stopped it before it began, there would be no hard feelings.

"I'm looking at you, Darling." He put too much space between them and stuffed his fisted hands into the pockets of the shorts he wore. "What about you? Are you looking at me? My mother is having a great time, and I would be too, if…." He walked back to her side and slowly slid his hands down the length of her arms until he clasped her hand in his.

"You don't understand anything." Frustrated with him and herself, she pulled her hand free of his and damn near ran to the kitchen with the pan of food.

Before returning to his side, Darling stood near the back of the house and watched him. Even in shorts and a t-shirt, he could break any woman's heart. It would be so easy to let herself believe him and everything he said. But, she'd done that before, and look at what that got her. She was single and almost forty, while her ex began again with a woman ten years younger. There was no way she could go through not being good enough again.

The line of folks waiting at the grill smiled and talked as he dished out food. The women hovered a little too long and close. The woman who walked behind the grill, Lisa, was bold. Darling watched as the woman cooed at Jaxon, then picked up an apron and wrapped it around his waist, tying it in the back. What the…? Well, Darling may not know what she wanted, yet. But, she knew she didn't like Lisa touching him. Darling interrupted their conversation. "Hope I wasn't gone too long."

"No." Lisa smiled. "I was just helping him with the apron so he wouldn't spill anything on his shorts." The woman's hand wandered a little brushing Jaxon's thigh.

"Thank you," Jaxon said.

Lisa smiled as she walked away.

Darling stretched on her tiptoes to reach his ear. "You just let everybody touch you?"

For a minute, he stared without words. Then, a grin spread across his face. He placed his hand on her hip and dropped his head close to hers.

Her heart jumped in her chest. She didn't know what to do, he was about to kiss her right there in front of everyone. Her body reacted to the need for his kiss. Possessive. His kisses made her feel wanted. A dull throb ached between her legs for his touch as her breasts begged for the gentle firm suckle of his mouth. She should push him away. She could feel the smile curving his lips as he touched them against her cheek.

"Nobody has touched me since you left my bed."

The revelation frightened her.

"Darling, are you guys just going to stand back there, or give us something to eat?" asked someone in line.

Jaxon squeezed her hip as he severed their connection.

Darling shook her head in an attempt to shake off her madness, and focused on the line to find it longer than ever. But, the women in line weren't coming for what was on the grill. "Hmm. I'll go get some more supplies." When she returned, the freaking line had grown, more.
Horny chicks!
"Dad," she yelled as she passed him. "I think it's time you take your grill back."

With a huge grin, her father watched them from the picnic table he shared with her mother. But, he didn't make a move. "What? Why? I think your young man is doing okay."

"Dad," she pleaded.

"I think you two can handle it." He turned back to her mother placing a kiss on her cheek. "Oh, and bring out some of those desserts."

"Mom, help me. Please."

"Honey, I agree with your father."

If she didn't know better, she'd swear that her parents planned this with Barbara and his mother. Everyone seemed perfectly okay with the two millionaires grilling and reading children's books in the middle of the front yard with the big fat blow up swimming pool. Meanwhile, they probably had in-ground heated Infiniti pools at their homes.

The party died down with the sunset. Jaxon and his mom cleaned away the remaining pieces of scattered trash along-side Darling and her parents. It'd been a long time since he'd washed dishes without loading a dishwasher. But, Darling flipped the television to one of the music channels and everyone hummed along as they finished the duties her mother had assigned them.

"Thank you for helping." She handed him a plate of food wrapped in foil.

"It was my pleasure. Your parents are sweet."

"Sweet conspirators." She smiled.

"Why don't you two go and have fun. We can finish this," her mother said.

"That's a great idea, honey," Jaxon's mother agreed.

Have fun.
A few quiet hours with Darling would be the perfect way to end the evening, there were so many things he'd love to do to her. He couldn't walk out on his mother.

"Jaxon don't worry about your mom. I'll take her home," Mr. Crawford added as if reading his mind.

They'd never made it to their game of tennis. His mother had spent the day entertaining twenty kids, and he'd cooked for all of them. "Sir, I can't let you do that. I'll take mom back to the hotel."

"We won't hear of it. You and your mom helped us out so much tonight," her mother said. "The least we can do is let you two have a few moments to yourselves."

"Mom, we don't have anything to talk about," Darling said.