Rue Toulouse (39 page)

Remi sighed. “It will be fine. Trust me.”

She took a deep breath and held on to his hand, taking a seat in the middle of a padded bench.

Remi sat in front of the engine and motioned for Sosa to push them away from the dock. “Hang on, Princess,” Remi called as the powerful engine propelled them out into the bayou.

Once Caterine realized she was perfectly safe and Remi wasn’t going to dump them into the water, she relaxed and took in her surroundings. The open waterway narrowed as he slowly steered the boat into a channel. Tall cypress trees with their spiky knees stood along the banks of waving marsh grass. Turtles of every size sunned themselves on fallen logs. “Oh, Remi, look.” Caterine pointed delightedly at a family of wood ducks as they bobbed in the gently moving water.

Her delight soon turned to unease as the snout of an alligator suddenly appeared alongside the boat. Happy to leave the reptile behind, her eyes opened wide as, rounding a bend, Remi steered the boat into a secluded cove.

He cut the engine and sat down next to her, opening the cooler he’d brought along. He handed her a wine cooler and popped the top on his beer. “It’s pretty here, isn’t it?”

Caterine took in her surroundings and wondered how she was supposed to answer him. Pretty wasn’t the word she’d use—spooky would be more like it. Thick, reedy marsh grass covered the banks. Tall cypress, oaks, and willows shaded the murky water of the cove.

“Ah, it’s . . .”

Remi laughed. “I take it you’re not that impressed.”

“I wouldn’t say that. The landscape is certainly impressive. It’s calling it pretty I have a problem with.”

“You should see it in the spring when the water lilies are in bloom. See all those leaves floating in the water?” He pointed to hundreds of large green leaves. “The blossoms are all white, and their fragrance is incredible. We’ll have to come back.” He tossed his empty beer can in the cooler and took her still full wine cooler from her hand. “In the meantime, I want to do something I’ve been wanting to do all day.” He took her in his arms and laid her back on the seat.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m going to see what you have on under this skirt.”

“Remi, we can’t. What if someone sees us?”

He laughed. “There’s no one to see us except the gators, and I doubt they’re interested.”

“This bench isn’t big enough for the two of us,” she declared as he removed her sandals, then his sneakers.

“Watch and see. When this boat was built, my uncles made sure the seat would serve another purpose than just sitting.” He lay on his side next to her.

She chuckled. “The Michaud men think of everything, don’t they?”

“That we do,
ma jolie fille
, my pretty girl,” he murmured as he rolled on top of her, covering her mouth with his.

As the leaf-filtered sun warmed their bodies, Caterine wrapped her arms around his neck and hungrily kissed him back.

Breathing hard, his eyes dark with need, Remi broke their kiss. “Honest to God, Caterine, I can’t get enough of you. I haven’t acted like this since I was eighteen years old. I brought you out here intending on taking my time making love to you, but you’ve got me ready to rip your clothes off.”

Caterine smiled. “So who’s stopping you? I’ve never made love outdoors. It’s kind of exciting.”

“Oh, Princess, it hasn’t begun to get exciting.” He rolled off her and quickly removed his clothing.

“Now, let’s see what you have on under here.” As he raised her skirt, he slowly ran his hands up her legs, kissing her calf, her knees, and her inner thigh. He nearly lost his self-control when the hot pink thong she wore was revealed. “
Mon dieu
, Caterine, you’re killing me.” He licked the pale skin above the triangle of curls covering her sex. “And you taste sweeter than any honey.” His mouth covered the slip of fabric nestled between her legs. His tongue found her sensitive nub beneath the silk. She cried his name as the sharp pleasure of her orgasm slammed through her.

He rose above her and eased off her thong, then her top. When her puckered nipples were revealed through the sheer silk of her strapless bra, he let out a groan of pure pleasure.

Unable to resist, he sucked and licked the hard buds through the silk.

“Remi, stop. I need you now,” she whimpered, digging her fingers into his bare back as she writhed beneath him.

“Come for me again, Caterine.” His mouth sucked harder, his fingers stroking the slick wetness between her thighs. Feeling her body tighten with the beginning of her release, he slid his hard shaft into her heat as the full intensity of her orgasm overtook her. “
Mais yeah, vien, ma jolie fille, vien
,” he murmured as she matched him stroke for stroke until, with his mouth on hers, he cried out with his own release.

As the boat rocked gently beneath them, they lay in satiated bliss until Caterine shattered the silence with a piercing scream.

“
Merde!
” he exclaimed, rolling off her, almost falling from the seat in his haste. “What the hell are you screaming about?”

Unable to speak, she pointed at the large black snake hanging in the tree above them.

“Damn it to hell, you about gave me a heart attack.” He stood and reached for his jeans.

Caterine scrambled to her feet, also grabbing for her clothes. “Get me out of here, Remi. I hate snakes. What if it falls on us?”

“Hey, Princess, it’s okay.” He put his arms around her pulling her close. “Look, it’s going away.” He turned her so she could see the snake slithering down the tree on the other side. “Your scream must have scared the shit out of him as much as it did me.”

Caterine exhaled and sat back on the bench. “I’m sorry, but I absolutely hate snakes of all kinds.”

Remi smiled. “I got that.” Pulling his shirt over his head, he sat down next to her to put his shoes back on. “Next time I make love to you outdoors, I’ll make sure there aren’t any trees.”

Caterine snorted. “Who says there’ll be a next time? And trees are okay. It’s the snakes that live in them that I can do without.”

Remi pulled her on his lap and kissed her soundly. “Trust me, Princess, there’ll definitely be a next time. Now I’d better get us back before Maman sends out a search party.”

“There you two are,” Annette said as Remi and Caterine came through the door onto the screened porch. “What on earth have you done to this poor girl, Remi?”

“I took Caterine for a boat ride, Maman. She nearly jumped overboard when a little snake tried to join us.”

Annette narrowed her eyes.

Caterine had a hard time following the rapid-fire exchange that ensued between mother and son, but from Annette’s tone and the few words she did understand, Caterine decided Remi was getting chewed out over something.

Caterine excused herself to use the bathroom and made her way through the house in the direction Annette had indicated. She locked the door and turned, coming face-to-face with her reflection in the mirror. She closed her eyes and groaned. From her disheveled hair to her kiss-swollen mouth and her wrinkled skirt, there wasn’t any doubt what she and Remi had been up to on that boat.
Caterine, you have no shame when it comes to that man.

She tried her best to straighten her appearance. All she needed was to have Annabelle tell her grandmother about this. She glanced in the mirror one last time and left the security of the bathroom. On her way back through the living room, she spotted a group of family photos sitting on a table. She paused and smiled at the many pictures of Remi as a small boy.

“He was as ornery as a child as he is as a man,” Annabelle said from behind her.

Cringing inside, Caterine turned. “He’s still just as cute as well.”

Annabelle’s twinkling eyes gazed into Caterine’s. “He’s a good boy who has a wild streak, like his grandpapa.” Annabelle pointed to a wedding picture sitting on the mantle.

Caterine stepped closer and gasped.

“The resemblance is quite something, isn’t it?”

Caterine nodded. “It’s amazing. Except for the clothing, he could be mistaken for Remi.”

A tender smile crossed Annabelle’s face. “When I told my parents I was going to marry Rex Michaud, my papa got madder than I’d ever seen him. He threatened to send me up north to boarding school. In order to keep the peace, I agreed not to marry until after college. I know my parents thought by then my attraction for Rex would have waned and I’d have met someone they considered more appropriate. I loved Rex Michaud from the time I was sixteen years old until the day I lost him sixty-five years later. Remi just needs someone to love him that much and he’ll settle down, just like his grandfather did.”

“I love him that much, Miss Annabelle,” Caterine blurted. Shocked at her outburst, she clamped her hand over her mouth.

Annabelle smiled and patted her arm. “I know, child, and I believe he loves you as well. You two need to get through this mess with your family and everything else will fall into place.”

Caterine sighed deeply. “I’m afraid Grandmère doesn’t favor Remi and me having a future.” Horrified at how that sounded, she hurried to clarify. “Not that she isn’t fond of Remi—she is. I just don’t think she feels he’s the right one for me.”

Annabelle gave an unladylike snort. “Your grandmère wouldn’t have let anyone or anything come between her and Pierre Doucette, and don’t let her tell you otherwise.”

Caterine smiled. “Really?”

Annabelle took Caterine by the arm, and they headed toward the porch. “Yes, really. Her papa wasn’t in favor of that match either, but don’t tell her I told you so.”

Night was beginning to fall as they stepped onto the screened porch. Caterine could tell by the increased volume on the lawn that the party had taken on a rowdier tone.

“Remi’s down there singing again,” said Chloe, a sleeping twin in each arm.

“Caterine, he’s not in any condition to be driving home,” Annette said with annoyance. “You’re more than welcome to stay the night.”

“Thank you, ma’am, but I can drive if he’ll let me.”

Annette frowned. “I should have put that boy over my knee more often, then maybe he’d have better manners.”

Chloe looked at Caterine and rolled her eyes.

“You didn’t put
any
of us over your knee, Maman,” Yvette reminded her.

“And that’s what’s wrong with all of you.”

Caterine smiled. “I’m going to go see about Remi. I’ll bring him up to say good night.”

Remi was back on the makeshift stage, singing and playing his guitar. Caterine’s eyes blazed and her hands closed into fists as she got closer. Dancing directly in front of Remi was a scantily clothed buxom girl making sure Remi saw every suggestive move she made, and Remi seemed to be enjoying every minute of it.

Caterine folded her arms, also making sure she stood in his line of vision. When his eyes finally left the girl’s bouncing breasts and met her eyes, she motioned for him to come to her.

Remi nodded. As soon as the song was over, he handed his guitar to another man and jumped from the stage, only to be brought up short by the brunette.

Caterine watched in mounting rage as the girl threw her arms around Remi’s neck and kissed him soundly.

“She’s a real slut, isn’t she? She’s been after Remi for years.”

Caterine turned to face Antoine’s girlfriend, Suzette.

Not waiting for her to respond, Suzette continued, “I’ll warn you now, Caterine, you can’t trust any Michaud men. I’ve learned that the hard way. If I were you, I’d go over there and slap the shit out of both Remi and the slut.”

Caterine thought she wouldn’t mind doing exactly as Suzette suggested, but she knew her upbringing would never allow her to disgrace herself in public. Instead she smiled at Suzette, and waited to see what Remi would do next. To her relief, Remi gently but firmly pushed the girl away, said something to her that made her smile, and walked toward where she and Suzette stood.

“What’s up,
cher
? You ready to go?” he asked, as he put his arm around her. “Hey, Suzette, where’s Antoine?”

“If he’s anything like you, he’s up to no good. Remember, Caterine, I warned you.” Suzette gave Remi a disgusted look and walked off.

“What the hell was that about?”