Gotta Get Next To You (10 page)

“Okay.” Katy struggled not to smirk at him.
“A new software program, wow-wee.”

“Good morning. What new program?” Andrea
strolled in. She rubbed the back of her neck wearily with one
hand.

“Hi,” Lee said. He noticed how tired she
looked. “Long day already, huh?”

“I’ve got this pain in my neck bending over
stupid paperwork. The department has a triplicate form for
everything.” Andrea grimaced.

“Poor kid. What about some ibuprofen?” Katy
clucked sympathetically.

Lee crossed the room without thinking. “Here,
let me see.” He moved behind her and kneaded the tight neck muscles
with adept fingers.

Andrea tensed and her eyes widened. “N-no,
I’ll be—”

“Don’t fight it or you’ll just ache more,”
Lee said softly. Gradually her shoulders eased down.

Andrea closed her eyes and relaxed
completely. “Thanks. I’ll be okay in a minute, though.” Still she
did not move away from him.

“Better than any pill I’ve got in the drug
cabinet,” Katy said. She grinned and waved her fingers as she
slipped out the door.

“That feels wonderful. Are you living a
double life as a masseur?”

Lee savored the feel of velvety brown skin.
Her hair was pinned up in a French roll, but a few wisps trailed
down the back of her neck. He leaned forward and caught a scent of
flowers. Andrea seemed to unwind and flow with the rhythm of his
fingers. She sighed again and tilted her head forward as though
inviting him to touch her more. Lee massaged her upper arms and
stepped so close his chest touched her back. He inhaled deeply
again.

“I actually studied therapeutic massage back
in L.A.,” Lee said in a strained voice. He was finding it harder
and harder to breathe normally.

“Is that gardenia?” he murmured.

“Yes. You like it?”

Andrea exhaled, and then arched her back
slightly. Her hips brushed his groin. Lee felt himself harden and
knew he’d have a raging erection in a few seconds. A voice told him
to let go, but his body was having a hell of a time obeying.

“Yeah,” he said in a husky voice. “Smells
delicious.” His hands moved to her waist and he pulled her to
him.

The temperature in the room seemed to shoot
up by fifty degrees. Lee felt hot all over. His hands moved to her
waist, then started lower. Andrea sighed and swayed in his arms. He
buried his nose in her hair, savoring the feathery texture,
breathing in the womanly scent of her.

“What are you doing?” she whispered huskily,
no trace of anger in her tone.

“Helping you relax,” he whispered back. His
erection throbbed, straining to be set free.

Andrea lowered her head. Lee lifted her hair
and brushed his lips against the exposed patch of silky light brown
skin on her neck.

The sound of loud voices approaching seemed
to wake them both from the dream. Andrea went rigid, then whirled
around and backed off.

“Thanks,” she stammered as she avoided
looking at him. “I feel okay now.”

Lee was not ready to let go of the moment.
“Are you sure? I could ...”

Andrea swallowed hard. “I’m positive.”

Lee took several deep breaths to collect
himself. He should have been grateful she wasn’t looking at him.
His legs were wobbly as he went to the table and sat down. The
pulsing hunger in his crotch eased, but only slowly. Think of
something neutral like football or cold waterfalls! Lee shifted to
ease the discomfort.

Andrea cleared her throat. “So you were in
college.” She seemed eager to introduce a safe subject.

“Excuse me?” Lee’s mind was still foggy.

“You said you studied massage therapy.”
Andrea put distance between them by going to the counter opposite
him. She got a cup and poured coffee into it.

“Yeah, but that was after college.”

“What’s your degree in?” Andrea glanced at
him with interest.

“I only went a few semesters. Too much
partying and too little studying.” Lee grinned at her.

“Why doesn’t that surprise me?” Andrea smiled
back at him.

“I’m a grown-up now. Mr. Responsibility,
that’s me.”

Andrea considered him thoughtfully. “I
see.”

Lee got a sudden chill, a flash that he was
in danger, but not the kind he’d been used to as a cop. It was time
to put more than physical distance between them. He shied away from
troubling emotions like caring too much, emotions he’d suppressed
for a long time. Andrea could be up to her neck in whatever was
going down. Experience had taught him long ago not to trust
appearances. Now here he was shaking like a fifteen-year-old kid in
heat. His mind had turned to mush and veered totally off his goal,
which was to get answers.

Having recovered from the attack of lust, Lee
rose from his chair. “Better get to work. I’ve got a real tough
boss,” he said jauntily, back in his role as a flirtatious
lightweight.

“She’s not as bad as they say,” Andrea said
jokingly.

Lee paused in the doorway and looked at her.
“Nah, not half as bad as she’d like folks to think,” he said in a
quiet voice.

They stood staring at each other for a few
moments before Andrea blinked hard and put her cup down.

“But you’re right about one thing, it’s time
to get busy. See you later.” She placed the cup in the sink and
walked past him.

Gardenia fragrance floated to him as she went
by. Lee felt rooted to the spot. “Right, later,” was all he could
manage.

He would have to think about a lot of
football and cold water to get through this case.

***

Andrea gazed around the open field of green
grass dotted with tents and booths. The small park was near the
center of town. She smiled at people who passed but kept a watchful
eye on everything happening. The first big public event staged by
the clinic seemed to be going well. Billed as the First Annual
Bayou Blue Health Fair Extravaganza, it was set up on a prairie
near the center of town. The site was used for carnivals and other
outdoor events.

The health fair included fun activities for
adults and kids. Face painting, a space walk, and helium balloons
were as much a hit with parents as with their children. Red-striped
tents covered most of the booths and exhibits. The crowd was not as
big as they’d hoped, but Andrea knew it would take time for the
clinic to inspire confidence. Her vision was for people from other
small communities around Bayou Blue to eventually use the clinic
also. Andrea wanted to reach the poor, underserved people in the
southeastern third of Lafourche Parish. For now she was more than
satisfied with the first health fair.

Gran ambled over to her with two of her
lifelong pals, Miss Sandra and Miss Noreen. “This ain’t half bad.”
She nodded to Andrea in approval.

“Thanks,” Andrea said dryly.

“No, I thought you’d have some of them
lectures on all kinds of diseases that would scare folks into an
early grave. You know what I’m talking about.” Gran glanced at her
pals, who nodded in agreement.

“Lordy, yes,” Miss Noreen piped up. “Went to
hear a talk on heart disease and almost had a heart attack!”

“You’re so right. By the time that lady
doctor got through talking about us old black women droppin’ dead,
all I wanted to do was cry.” Miss Sandra rolled her eyes.

“And don’t let ’em start talking about
cancer, girl!” Gran shook her head. “Some of them doctors look like
the grim reaper himself.” This brought a burst of laughter from her
buddies.

‘Tell you what, this is ten times better. Got
me all kinds of ink pens and key rings.” Miss Noreen held up a bag
of freebies given out by exhibitors.

“Noreen, your house already looks like a swap
meet. What you gonna do with all that junk?” Gran said bluntly.

“My grandchildren gotta have pens for school,
and people just love these key chains. I give ’em away.” Miss
Noreen was not at all deterred. “In fact, I ain’t through makin’ my
rounds. Come on before all those little notepads are gone.” She
walked away with a slow but steady gait.

“Oh yeah, I want some of those, too,” Miss
Sandra said, following her. “Let’s go, Mavis.”

“All right, you pack rats. I’ll catch up in a
minute,” Gran said with a laugh. She carried a bulging plastic bag
with a home health company logo on it.

“You seem to be doing your own share of
packing,” Andrea said, eyebrows raised.

“I’m getting health information.” Gran pulled
a pamphlet out of the bag. “See, this one’s on tasty low-fat
recipes.”

“Oh yes, I do see.” Andrea peered down into
the bag. “And I also see six ink pens, three pencils, a key
chain—”

“Oh, hush.” Gran snatched the bag behind her
back.

She looked at Andrea, then laughed out loud.
“Okay, you got me this time.”

Andrea laughed with her and put an arm around
her grandmother’s waist. They walked in the direction Miss Sandra
and Miss Noreen had taken. “If hard cases like you three take home
health information, then we’ve done our job today.”

Andrea knew that many poor and elderly people
put off seeking medical assistance until their symptoms were
severe.

“Don’t mind me, sugar. You’ve done a
beautiful job. Your way of bringing this information down home is
what we need,” Gran said.

“I’m glad to hear you say that.” Andrea
sighed. “It was a lot of work, but worth every minute.” They both
looked around.

Gran nodded to where Denny stood with Jamal.
Both men helped kids into a giant inflated space walk. “How’s Denny
making out?”

Andrea followed her gaze. “Better than I
expected. He’s still a bit undisciplined, but not as bad as some I
had to let go.”

“His grandmamma told me she appreciates you
giving him a chance. Helen has been through so much with that boy.
Maybe he’s finally coming around.” Gran watched Denny, her brows
drawn together.

“What do you mean?” Andrea looked at
Gran.

“You know that’s her youngest son’s child.
His mama is on drugs and Helen’s son is in a gang out in Los
Angeles. The welfare folks took him away from them and Helen got
him when he was twelve. Wild as could be.” Gran shook her head
slowly.

“He’s been in trouble?” Andrea was not
surprised.

Denny had the bravado of a young man wanting
to prove his masculinity in all the wrong ways.

“Small scrapes, yeah. Skipping school,
fighting in class, and shoplifting little stuff like candy bars.”
Gran sighed. “Helen stuck by him, though.”

“He does seem to be trying. Lately he’s been
more cooperative.”

Andrea did not add it had taken at least
three heart- to-heart talks with the young man. Denny had a habit
of arriving late, leaving early, and doing as little as possible in
between. At first he’d shown lots of attitude, while making snide
comments under his breath. But over the last three weeks he seemed
to be coming around. There was something in him, Andrea thought,
some kernel of goodness that made her think he was not a lost
cause. There were times when he showed initiative. Then he’d come
in another day with that cocky “I’m bad” attitude again. Still, she
knew his family and the problems they’d faced. Andrea was
determined not to give up on Denny too quickly.

“Well, keep a firm hand. Don’t do him any
favors just ’cause Helen’s in my prayer circle at St. Isidore.”
Gran pressed her lips together. “Poor thing worked hard all her
days and her children broke her heart.”

Andrea grinned and pinched Gran’s cheek.
“Message received and understood, for the third time.”

Gran beamed at her. “I’m so proud of you,
baby.” Then she shifted her attention. This time she pointed to
Jamal. “That’s another employee you should be happy to have.”

Jamal helped a crowd of noisy children into
the space walk. Squeals of delight came from the inflated fun room
filled with soft plastic balls. Children bounced around inside the
bright blue and red contraption. He seemed to take genuine joy in
helping the little kids. He was equally proficient in handling
them. Andrea watched his powerful arms reach out to cradle an
anxious little girl hesitant to join the others. She watched him
charm her until she was giggling. So he could be tender and
caring.

This thought brought back the memory of his
hands on her shoulders, strong and soothing. Andrea blushed at
another memory, the hunger to feel his strong and gentle fingers
caressing the bare skin beneath her blouse. Her nipples had stayed
erect for almost an hour. It had taken twice as long as usual for
her to fall asleep that night. She’d kept imagining his lean,
muscled frame stretched beside her in bed while he massaged her
entire body. Andrea had tossed and turned until two in the
morning.

But Andrea also noted the knot of simpering
mothers who surrounded him. He grinned and traded banter with them
like an old pro. Andrea pressed her lips together. She knew his
kind. He was a real smooth operator. The kind of man quite capable
of making a woman feel as though she were the only one. Like her
ex-husband, Ellis. Lies had rolled off his tongue like melted
butter, and Andrea had let love blind her. Ellis had used sweet
words and romance as a kind of rose-colored veil to hide the truth.
Yet Andrea had gone along with it. Now here she was letting Jamal
get to her in the same way. He bent his head down close to a pretty
woman dressed in tight denim shorts. The woman laughed at some
remark he’d made. There he stood, ready to finesse his way through
the female population of Lafourche Parish. Well, he could count out
at least one.

“He’s okay,” she said, and looked away.

“Okay nothing, the man is hot. Look at all
those women. We best get over there and save him.” Gran hooked her
arm through Andrea’s and tugged.

Andrea did not budge. “The way he’s grinning,
I don’t think he needs to be rescued,” she retorted.