Sweet Mystery (15 page)

“It wasn’t hard. I got some furniture from
the house after the divorce. But a lot of this is new,” he added
quickly.

“Bet you’ve had a lot of women willing to
help you with cooking and housework.” Rae kept her tone casual.

“I got more casseroles pushed on me than
Father Boudreaux when he organized the church potluck dinner,”
Simon said with a chuckle. “But there is no one special tucked
away. I’ve dated, but that’s about it.”

“I wasn’t trying to get in your business.”
Rae groaned inwardly. She felt that she was being too obvious.

“Yes, you were, and it’s okay. I’ve been
trying to get around to asking you if there is someone in your life
right now.” Simon turned to her, one arm draped across the back of
the sofa.

Tension eased from her body. “No. I was
dating someone, but we’re kinda drifting apart. I wasn’t home much.
I think he’s found someone else and just hasn’t told me yet.”

“You had an apartment in Houston, right?”

“Yeah, but it definitely wasn’t home. Oh, I
enjoyed being there after traveling for weeks on end. But until I
got back to our house here, I didn’t realize that I was just sorta
camping out in Houston. It had a real temporary feel to it.
Everything about my life did. Even my relationship with Kaleb, the
guy I was dating.” Rae stopped abruptly. She had never told these
things to anyone. Why am I spilling my guts to this man?

Simon took her hand in a gesture to make her
feel at ease. “After my divorce, I felt this kind of emptiness. The
divorce was the right thing, don’t get me wrong, but I guess I was
mourning the fact that my marriage hadn’t been the lifetime love
affair I’d hoped for. I wanted to be like my parents and
grandparents.”

“Mr. Level-headed Business Man, you’re a
romantic underneath,” Rae teased gently.

“Ms. Well-known Rebel, so are you,” he said
in a low voice. “And we both feel this thing growing between
us.”

“Sounds like a wart or something!” Rae tried
to make a joke, but her voice was weak, mainly because she was
having trouble breathing. The lights were low and he was so
tantalizingly close.

“You know exactly what I mean, Raenette Marie
Dalcour,” Simon whispered.

With the careful deliberation of an artist,
he traced a line with his forefinger along her jaw until he touched
her bottom lip. Rae watched his face move closer with no thought of
resisting. His mouth tasted of love and desire. Under the coaxing
of his big, but gentle hands moving over her body, Rae shed her
hard shell of cynicism about picture-perfect romance. She wanted
him in every way.

“I know we’ve only known each other a few
weeks and...” Simon murmured between delicate kisses to her neck.
He paused in the act of going further down the V-neckline of her
deep red T-shirt.

“Technically, we’ve know each other for
years,” Rae mumbled. She did not want him to stop. “Well, we met at
least once when I was a teenager,” she added when he looked up at
her with in amusement. “My point is we’re not strangers.”

“True. We know all about our families, where
we went to school, and lots of other details.” Simon resumed his
task of kissing every inch of exposed flesh.

Rae sighed with contentment. “Yes, right
there.” She shivered as he nuzzled her breast through the
fabric.

“So, technically, we’re much farther along
than just a second date.” Simon nibbled at the cotton harder.

“Third – I’m willing to count that first
meeting in your office,” Rae put in quickly. “We did share coffee
and talk about non-business topics. Don’t forget the phone
conversations.” She guided his hand beneath her T-shirt.

He reached under the lace cup of her bra. The
touch of his warm palm covering her right breast made her moan.

“Works for me,” he mumbled.

There was no need for any more discussion. In
a daze of passion, they undressed in slow motion, savoring each
delicious stage. Rae lay back against the cushions and watched him
push down the blue jeans over his hips, revealing white cotton
briefs against his brown skin.

Simon stood over her for a few seconds,
gazing at her body, still clothed in a matching bikini and bra, the
color of dark wine. Rae stood up and removed them both as she gazed
back at him. With one quick motion, he removed his briefs. They
stood together kissing and touching for one long luscious game of
foreplay.

Soon their slow, tantalizing caresses gave
way to urgent need. They eased down onto the sofa, their bodies
molded in a neat fit. Simon drew back to look into her eyes. Then
he entered her, pushing his hips to hers in slow motion until they
were locked in a heated embrace that made them one. More than
sexual pleasure, she rode a tidal wave of joy at having this
wonderful man inside her. She wanted all of him.

In a blinding flash, Rae knew what it meant
to be consumed with passion. Simon was moaning her name, whispering
endearments in a string of words that meant nothing in particular
and everything. The orgasm began like a flower opening, each
glorious second taking her higher. Feeling her contract around him
pushed Simon over the edge. His thrusts were sharp and deep. He
came, shouting out a guttural moan, every muscle rigid; his fingers
digging into the flesh of her thighs. They lay wrapped together for
a long time, unwilling to break contact.

Rae combed his dark hair with her fingers. It
was strange how each strand seemed to stand out, all shiny and
beautiful. She glanced around the room to check. Yes, the colors
were brighter. The feel of everything was somehow better.

“Now what?” she asked in a soft voice of awe.
So this was love?

Simon eased away from her, and retrieved a
pair of light gray pajamas from his bedroom. “Now we take a nice
warm shower together, put on these, and drift off to sleep in each
other’s arms.” He smiled. “I’ll get the shower started.”

Rae grabbed his wrist. “You know what I mean,
Simon.”

He sat next to her. “Now we decide that no
one, and I mean no one, will come between us. If this doesn’t work,
it should be because we say it won’t – not your brothers, my
grandfather or anybody else.”

“Sounds simple enough. We just have to ignore
ninety percent of the population of Belle Rose and hope Toya
doesn’t hire a hit man to take us both out.” Rae wondered if Simon
could take being an outcast.

“Piece of cake.” Simon tucked her against
him. “Seriously, what I feel for you is like nothing else I’ve ever
felt. I’m willing to fight for it.”

Rae looked up at him. He was serious. Not a
trace of hesitance or doubt was evident in his handsome face. She
was ready to take on everyone to hold onto the joy of being with
him.

“You know I’m not exactly a slave to public
opinion. So let the games begin.” She giggled.

“There’s a shower and soft jumbo bath towel
with our name on it, lady.” Simon led her to the master bath in his
bedroom.

A light-headed, relaxed feeling took control
of them both. The warm, soapy water rinsed away all cares; worries
about the rest of the world did not belong here tonight.

Chapter 8

The next four days were a busy time for Rae.
She spent all her waking hours talking to carpenters, electricians
and beer wholesalers, trying to get the best prices. She met with
resistance. One liquor salesman finally admitted that the word was
out not to do business with her. Henry Jove had a lot of powerful
friends. Still, greed eventually won out. She had to accept higher
prices, but she was determined not to let the Joves win.

No matter how tired Rae was, the prospect of
being with Simon revitalized her. To her delighted surprise, there
was no apocalyptic reaction the morning after their exquisite night
together. No earthquakes or destructive hurricane-force winds swept
them away for daring to defy fifty years of history.

Rae could not help but hum as she worked,
even though she’d despised others for doing it when infatuated with
a new lover. It was a hot and humid, late May morning. She stood
back to survey the dance hall. A new cypress sign was being hung.
The sound of hammers and workmen shouting to one another made her
feel like it was all coming together.

“This place brings back memories. The first
time I called myself sneaking in, Mr. Lucien walked up on me. Let
me know he’d seen me the whole time.”

Rae froze at the voice just over her
shoulder, and she turned to face its owner. Darcy stood not six
feet away.

He was six feet of classy, upper-class Creole
conceit. His black hair was combed straight back and curled over
the collar of his white shirt, which had blue pinstripes. The
expensive navy blue slacks fitted his slender frame with the
exactness expected of a tailor-made garment. Looking at him brought
back a flood of memories. That casual stance, the smile, and the
way his light brown eyes travelled over her body had been an
invitation she accepted eagerly at fifteen.

“Hello, Darcy. Fancy meeting you here,” Rae
said, her tone flip. “Have they blocked off Highway One or
something? Gotta be the only way you found your way to Back of the
Bayou.”

She referred to the name the locals used for
the designated area where poor blacks and a few whites lived. For
ninety years or more, this part of the parish was where those low
on the social and economic scale had lived.

“We’re pushing improvements all over the
parish these days. The leadership has changed now. Black folks have
a real say.”

“Guess I know which black folks you’re
talking about – the same ones that have always looked out for
themselves.” Rae renewed an argument they’d had fifteen years
earlier. “Things haven’t changed that much.” She stared at him.

“You have.” Darcy walked around her. “You’ve
gotten more beautiful, cher; a kind of sophisticated sexiness.”

“Your line of bull has improved a little,”
Rae shot back. “What do you want, Darcy?”

A slow smile curved his lips as he walked up
to her. “That’s a loaded question, woman. Sure you can handle the
answer?” he asked in low voice, meant to be provocative.

Rae did not move. “There was never a time I
couldn’t handle anything you dished out.”

“I remember the days when we couldn’t get
enough of each other.”

“Yeah, well, I finally did get my fill of
you. That long night in the emergency room, where you left me to
face the doctor alone. Remember?”

Darcy lost the cocky smile he wore. “You
never knew for sure you were pregnant. Far as I knew, you were just
having female problems.”

“You didn’t care to stick around and find
out! At least you left me money to get home.”

Rae felt nausea rise in her throat at the
sight of him making despicable excuses for his behavior. That
horrible night rushed back with a vengeance. They had been out on
the town when the pains started. Darcy stayed with her for the
first fifteen minutes and then said he had to make a phone call.
Instead he took off for home.

She had been torn for weeks between terror at
what her parents would say and joy at the new life she thought was
growing inside her. In her young mind, her baby was the promise of
a life filled with love. All the sadness meant nothing. Rae had
been blind and foolish enough to think that Darcy would welcome the
news. The look of alarm on his face when she told him of her
suspicion should have warned her. But she was too busy planning a
rosy future for them all; her new family. Rae had mourned, as
though she’d lost a child, when the doctor told her she was not
pregnant.

“It was only severe cramps.” Darcy lowered
his voice and looked around. “You were fine after they treated
you.”

“Something you found out when you finally
called, three days later,” she snapped. What was the use? He was a
selfish bastard. There was no point opening up that particular old
wound.

“I was fifteen and scared. We’d crossed the
line from just doing little things to piss off our parents into
some serious stuff.” Darcy stopped her from walking away. “For a
month I begged you to forgive me. I caught hell from my family.
Mama, Daddy and Granddaddy were on my butt night and day. But I
still came to you.”

“Three days too late, Darcy!” she shouted at
him.

Several workmen looked up sharply. Rae
stomped off, away from the dance hall and towards the forest and a
well-worn path. Darcy followed her.

“You want me on my knees? I crawled to you
then. I’ll do it now. Please forgive me.” His voice choked. “My
first wife lost two of my babies. Believe me, I’ve been punished.”
Darcy hung his head.

Rae stopped. The despair in his voice was
real. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know.” She was tired of holding onto
bitterness. It was time to purge all the old hurts if she was to
start fresh. “You’re right. We were both too young and trying to
grow up too fast.” Rae did not turn to face him, but spoke as
though she were addressing the woods around her.

“Say you forgive me,” Darcy said softly. “I
need to hear you say it.”

“I forgive you.” Rae felt a weight lift from
her chest. She’d thrown off one big chunk of a painful past.

Darcy put a hand on her arm. “Nobody has made
me feel like you did back then.”

The only thing she felt was annoyed. There
was no anger, but no trace of the old attraction either. “Like you
said, that was when we were just kids. We’re grown-up now.”

Rae turned to face him and stepped back,
breaking his hold. They gazed at each other for several
moments.

“Sure.” Darcy forced a smile. He fell in step
beside her, back toward the dance hall. “Now you’re a recording
star with a plan to start your own business.”

“I’m not a star, Darcy.”

“But you are going to run the dance hall
yourself?” Darcy glanced at her.