Red lily

ten

HEAT LIGHTNING SIZZLED in the sky, broody bursts, as they drove into Memphis. The traffic was as sulky as the night, but Harper seemed immune to it. They might have limped into the city, but the air was cool in the car, and Coldplay simmered out of the speakers.

Every so often he’d take his hand off the wheel to lay it over hers. A casually intimate gesture that made her heart sigh.

She’d been right to say nothing of that vision, or apparition, whatever it had been, in her bedroom mirror. Tomorrow was soon enough.

“I’ve never had dinner here,” she said when he pulled into the hotel’s lot. “I bet it’s wonderful.”

“One of Memphis’s finest jewels.”

“I’ve been in the lobby. You can’t come to Memphis without seeing the Peabody’s duck walk. It’d be like not seeing Graceland or Beale Street.”

“You forgot Sun Records.”

“Oh! Isn’t that the coolest place?” She shot him a stern look. “And don’t think I don’t know you’re laughing at me.”

“Maybe a chuckle. Not an outright laugh.”

“Well, anyway, the Peabody’s got an awesome lobby. You know they’ve been doing that duck walk for over seventy-five years.”

“Is that a fact?”

She gave him a little shove as they walked toward the hotel. “I guess you know all there is to know about the place, being a native.”

“Finding out more all the time.” He led her into the lobby.

“Maybe we could have a drink in here before dinner, by the fountain.” She imagined something cool and sophisticated to mirror the way she was feeling. A champagne cocktail or a cosmopolitan. “Is there time?”

“We could, but I think you’ll like what I have in mind even better.” He walked with her toward the elevators.

She glanced back over her shoulder with some regret. All that gorgeous marble and colored glass. “Is there a dining room upstairs? They don’t have one on the roof, do they? I’ve always thought roof-top dining was so elegant. Unless it rains. Or it’s windy. Or it’s too hot,” she added with a laugh. “I think roof-top dining’s really elegant in the movies.”

He only smiled, nudged her inside ahead of him. “Did I tell you that you look beautiful tonight?”

“You did, but I don’t mind certain kinds of repetition.”

“You look beautiful.” He touched his lips to hers. “You should always wear red.”

“And look at you.” She ran her fingers down the lapels of his dark jacket. “All duded up in a suit. The rest of the women in the restaurant won’t be able to eat for envying me my good luck.”

“If that’s the case, we might just have to give them a break.” He took her hand as the doors opened, then led her into the hallway. “Come with me.”

“What’s going on?”

“Something I hope you’ll like.” He stopped at a door, took out a key. He unlocked the door, opened it, gestured. “After you.”

She stepped inside, her breath catching as she saw the spacious room. Her hand fluttered up to her throat as she crossed the black and white checkerboard tiles into a parlor where candles flickered, and red lilies speared lavishly out of glass vases.

The colors were deep and rich, long windows adding the sparkling lights of the city. In front of one, a table was set for two, and a bottle of champagne sat in a gleaming silver bucket.

There was music playing, slow, soft Memphis blues. Stunned, she turned a circle, saw the spiral staircase that led to a second level.

“You . . . you did this?”

“I wanted to be alone with you.”

Her heart was still in her throat as she turned to face him. “You did this for me?”

“For both of us.”

“This beautiful room—just for us. Flowers and candles, and God, champagne. I’m overwhelmed.”

“I want you to be.” He stepped to her, took both her hands. “I want tonight to be special, memorable.” And brought them to his lips. “Perfect.”

“It’s sure off to a good start. Harper, no one’s ever gone to so much trouble for me. I’ve never felt more special.”

“It’s just the start. I ordered dinner already. It’ll be up in about fifteen minutes. Plenty of time for us to have that drink. How do you feel about champagne?”

“I feel like I couldn’t settle for anything less right now. Thank you.” She leaned to him, took his mouth for a long, warm kiss.

“I’d better open that bottle, or I’ll forget the lineup of events.”

“There’s a lineup?”

“More or less.” He walked over to lift the bottle from the bucket. “And just so you can relax, I gave Mama the number here. She’s got that, your cell, mine, and I made her promise to call if Lily so much as hiccups.”

He popped the cork as she laughed. “All right. I’ll trust Roz to keep it all under control.”

She did a little spin, just couldn’t help herself. “I feel like Cinderella. Minus the evil stepsisters, and well, the pumpkin. But other than that, me and Cindy, we’re practically twins.”

“If the shoe fits.”

“I’m going to wallow in this, Harper, I may as well just tell you that. I don’t know how sophisticated I can be when I just want to jump up and down, go racing around to look at everything. I bet the bathrooms are amazing. Do you think that fireplace works? I know it’s too hot for a fire, but I don’t care.”

“We’ll light it. Here.” He handed her a glass, tapped his to it. “To memorable moments.”

She held the moment, the glow of it. “And to men who make them happen. Oh, wow,” she said after the first sip. “This is really good. Maybe I’m dreaming.”

“If you are, I am, too.”

“That’s all right then.”

He touched her, skimming his fingers over the back of her neck, exposed by her upswept hair. Then with the lightest of pressure eased her toward him. The knock on the door brought on a wry grin.

“Prompt service. I’ll get it. Once they’ve set up dinner, we’ll be completely alone.”

HE MADE IT all happen, she mused. The big picture, the tiny details so the evening unfolded for her like the pages of a storybook. And because of him, she was sitting in an elegant suite, sipping champagne with the romance of candlelight, the shimmer of firelight. Flowers scented the air. There was a lovely meal she could barely taste through the anticipation bubbling in her throat.

Tonight, they would make love.

“Tell me what it was like for you, growing up,” she asked him.

“I liked having brothers, even when they pissed me off.”

“You’re close. I can see that whenever they come to visit. Even though they live away from Memphis, the three of you are like a team.”

He topped off her glass. “Did you wish for sibs when you were a kid?”

“I did. I had friends and cousins to play with, but I did. A sister especially. Somebody to tell secrets to in the middle of the night, or even to fight with. You had all that.”

“As kids, it was like having a personal gang, especially when David came along.”

“Bet the four of you drove Roz crazy.”

He grinned, lifted his glass. “We did our best. Summers were long, the way they’re supposed to be when you’re a kid. Long, hot days, and the yard, the woods, they were the whole world. I remember how it smelled, all green and thick. And this time of year, how you’d hear the cicadas all night.”

“I used to leave my window open a little ways at night so I could hear them better. I bet y’all got in plenty of trouble.”

“Probably more than our share. You couldn’t slip much by Mama. She had this radar, it was a little scary. I remember how she’d be in the garden, or in the house doing something, and I’d come around and she’d just know I’d been doing something I shouldn’t’ve been doing.”

She propped an elbow on the table, cupped her chin in her hand. “Name something.”

“The most baffling, at least at the time, was when I was with a girl the first time.” He drenched one of the strawberries in whipped cream, held it out for her to bite. “I came home having had my first sample of paradise in the back-seat of my much-loved Camaro, about six months after my sixteenth birthday. She came into my room the next morning, and put a box of Trojans on my dresser.”

With a shake of his head, he polished off the berry. “She said, and I remember this very well, that we’d already talked about sex and responsibility, about being safe and smart and careful, so she assumed that I had used protection, and would continue to do so. Then she asked if I had any questions or comments.”

“What did you say?”

“I said, ‘No ma’am.’And when she walked out the door, I pulled the covers up over my head and asked God how the hell my mama came to know I’d had sex with Jenny Proctor in my Camaro. It was both mystifying and humiliating.”

“I hope I’m like that.”

His eyebrows lifted as he coated another berry. “Mystified and humiliated?”

“No. As smart as your mama. As wise as that with Lily.”

“Lily’s not allowed to have sex until she’s thirty, and married a couple of years.”

“Goes without saying.” She bit into the berry he offered, mmm’d over it. “What happened to Jenny Proctor?”

“Jenny?” He got a look on his face, a kind of half smile that told her he was looking back. “Why, she just pined away for me. She was forced to go to California to college, and stay out there and marry a screenwriter.”

“Poor thing. I shouldn’t have any more,” she said when he topped off her glass again. “I’m already half buzzed.”

“No point in doing things halfway.”

Angling her head, she sent him a deliberately provocative look. “Is part of the lineup you talked about getting me loose on champagne so you can have your way with me?”

“It was on the schedule.”

“Thank God. Is that event coming up soon, because I don’t think I can sit here and look at you much longer without having you touch me.”

His eyes darkened as he rose, held out a hand for hers. “Here was my plan. I was going to ask you to dance, so I could get my arms around you, something like this.”

She slid into them. “I haven’t found a single flaw in your plan so far.”

“Then I was going to kiss you, here.” He brushed his lips over her temple. “And here.” Her cheek. “And here.” And her mouth, sinking in slowly and deeply until that meeting of lips was the center of the world.

“I want you so much.” She pressed against him, burrowed in. “It takes me over. Take me over, Harper. I’ll go crazy if you don’t.”

He circled her toward the steps, stopped at the base and looked into her eyes. “Come upstairs, and be with me.”

With her hand in his, she started up, then let out a breathless laugh. “My knees are shaking. I can’t even tell if it’s from nerves or excitement. I’ve imagined myself with you so many times, but I never imagined I’d be nervous.”

“We’ll go slow. No rush.”

Her heart was beginning to trip and stumble, but there was one more thing. “Um, I’m using something—birth control—but I think we should . . . I didn’t bring any of those Trojans.”

“I’ll take care of it.”

“Should’ve figured you’d thought of everything.”

“Be prepared.”

“Were you a Boy Scout?”

“No, but I dated a few former Girl Scouts.”

It made her chuckle, and nearly relax again. “I think . . .”

She trailed off as she stepped into the bedroom. There were candles waiting to be lit, and the lamp on low. The bed was already turned down, with a single red lily resting on the pillow.

The romance of it saturated her.

“Oh, Harper.”

“Wait.” He walked around the room to light the candles, to turn off the lamp. Then he picked up the flower and offered it. “I brought you these because it’s how I think of you, how I’ve thought of you since the beginning. I’ve never thought of anyone else the same way.”

She stroked the petals over her cheek, breathed in their fragrance, then set the lily aside. “Undress me.”

He lifted a hand, nudged the thin strap from her shoulder, laid his lips there. In turn, with her heart beating thickly, she slid the jacket off his.

Then her mouth found his as her fingers opened the buttons of his shirt, as his drew down the zipper at the back of her dress. His hands cruised over her back, and hers spread over his chest. When her dress slithered to the floor, she stepped out of it—then held her breath as he eased back and just looked at her.

She wore flimsy scraps of red that shimmered in the candlelight against her smooth pale skin. And high, high heels with long, long legs. Desire, already impossibly strong, clutched at his belly.

“You’re amazing.”

“I’m skinny. All angles, no curves.”

He shook his head, reached out to trace a finger over the subtle curve of her breast. “Delicate, like a lily stem. Would you take your hair down?”

With her eyes on his, she reached up to pull out the pins, then skimmed her fingers through it. And waited.

“Amazing,” he repeated. Taking her hand, he drew her to the bed. “Just sit,” he said, then knelt in front of her to slip off her shoes.

His lips trailed up her calf and had her clutching the edge of the bed. “Oh God.”

“Let me do the things I’ve thought about doing.” His teeth grazed the back of her knee. “All of them.”

There was no thought to deny him, and no words that could surface through the flood of sensation. His tongue slid along her thigh, that mouth burning tiny brands into her flesh even as his hands traveled up, tracing her breasts with his fingers until they ached over her thundering heart.

She shuddered out his name, falling back on the bed as he came to her.

She could hold him close now, touch as she was touched. Taste as she was tasted. The pleasure filled her—the glide of his hands, the heat of his lips, the catch of his breath as they rolled together to find more.

No rush, he’d told her, but he couldn’t slow his hands. They wanted to take, and take more. Her breasts in his hands, in his mouth, small and firm and satin smooth, and when he feasted on them she bowed up, exposing the long, slender line of her throat.

At last, she was his.

Her nails bit into his back, scraped down his hips. Tiny thrilling pains. Then she was over him, her mouth as greedy as his, and her quick, gasping breaths roaring in his head like a storm.

Candlelight sheened over her skin, skin going damp with the heat they fueled through each other. The gold of those flickering lights glowed in the deepening blue of her eyes as he slid his hand over her, found her hot. Found her wet.

The orgasm was like a burst of light, a stunning flash that blinded her, set her body on fire then left it to glow. She felt herself slide toward oblivion, then come back into the bright, bright world of swimming sensations. Her body was awake, alive.

Then his mouth found her and sent her spinning beyond pleasure. It was a roiling heat that built and built, then gushed through her so that she was weak and wavery when he dragged her to her knees.

He looked at her, into her it seemed, so deep she thought he must see everything she was. And his mouth took hers in a kiss that made her heart tremble.

So this was love, she thought. This utter trust and surrender of self. This complete gift of heart that left you open, defenseless. And full of joy.

She touched her hand to his cheek, her lips curving as she shifted, as she wrapped her legs around him. “Yes,” she said, and took him into her. “Yes,” then arched back with a moan as the beauty swamped her.

He lowered his brow to her shoulder, barely able to breathe as she closed around him. But he drew her back to him, heart against heart. Not close enough, he thought. It could never be close enough.

Her arms locked around him, her mouth found his as they rocked themselves toward the edge, and over.

THERE WAS PROBABLY something more relaxing than sprawling on a big bed, limbs tangled with your lover’s after mind-melting sex. But Hayley figured it was probably illegal.

In any case, she’d take this shimmery afterglow.

As far as romantic nights, this one left everything else she’d experienced in the dust. Gliding on it, she curled her body a little closer to his, and smiled dreamily when his hand stroked over her back.

“That was wonderful,” she murmured. “You’re wonderful. Everything’s wonderful. I feel like if I stepped outside right now, this light inside me would blind the entire population of Memphis.”

“If you stepped outside right now, you’d be arrested.” His hand slipped lower. “Better just stay right here with me.”

“You’re probably right. Mmm, I feel so loose.” She stretched like a cat. “I guess I was pretty blocked up, you know? Self-servicing isn’t nearly as satisfying as . . . Oh God, I can’t believe I said that.”

His shoulders were already shaking as he snorted out a laugh. He hooked an arm firmly around her before she could roll away. “Happy to be . . . at your service.”

She buried her face against his shoulder. “Things just jump out of my mouth sometimes. It’s not like I’m a sex maniac or anything.”

“Well, now you’ve shattered my dreams.”

She cuddled closer, tipped her head up. “It’s nice being here like this. I mean just like this,” she said, and feathered her fingers through his hair. “All soft and warm, snuggled up in bed. I wish we could just stay, and tonight would just go on and on.”

“We can stay, and when tonight stops going on, we can have breakfast right here in bed.”

“That sounds amazing, but you know I can’t. Lily—”

“Is sound asleep in the Portacrib we moved into my mother’s sitting room earlier today.” When her eyes widened, he pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Mama was practically rubbing her hands together with glee at the prospect of keeping her overnight.

“Your mama . . .” She pushed up on her elbow. “God, did everybody know about this but me?”

“Pretty much.”

“Roz knows we’re . . . that’s just very strange. But I don’t think I should—”

“Mama said to remind you she managed to raise three boys, keep them all alive and out of jail.”

“But . . . I’m a terrible mother. I want to stay.”

“You’re not a terrible mother. You’re an awesome mother.” He sat up as she did, took her shoulders. “You know Lily’s fine, and you know Mama loves having her.”

“I do. I do know that, but . . . what if she wakes up and wants me? Okay,” she said with a sigh when he just lifted his eyebrows. “If she wakes up, Roz’ll handle it. And Lily loves spending time with her, and Mitch. I’m being a cliché.”

“But you’re such a pretty one.”

She looked around the room. Beautiful, sumptuous—absolute freedom. “We can really just stay?”

“I’m hoping you will.”

She bit her lip. “I don’t have any . . . things, you know? Not even a toothbrush. A hairbrush. I don’t have my—”

“David packed you a bag.”

“David . . . well, that’s all right then. He’d know what I’d want.” She felt giddy little bubbles rising up in her throat. “We’re just staying?”

“That’s the plan. If it’s okay with you.”

“If it’s okay with me?” she repeated, and a gleam came into her eyes as she launched herself at him. “Let me show you what I think about that.”

LATER, SHE CAME rushing out of the bathroom. “Harper, did you see these robes? They’re so big and soft.” She stood rubbing a sleeve against her cheek. “There are two of them, one for each of us.”

Lazily, he opened one eye. The woman, he thought, was proving to be insatiable. Praise Jesus. “Nice.”

“Everything in here is wonderful.”

“Romeo and Juliet suite,” he murmured, almost drifting.

“What?”

“The suite. It’s the Romeo and Juliet suite.”

“Really, but that’s . . .” Her brows drew together. “Well, if you think about it, they were a couple of teenage suicides.”

On a laugh, he opened his eyes. “Trust you.”

“I never saw it as being romantic. Tragic is what it was—and plain stupid. Not the play,” she corrected, turning a circle to swirl the robe. “It’s brilliant, but those two? Oops, she’s dead, I’ll drink this poison. Oops, he’s dead, I’ll stab myself in the heart. I mean, Jesus, and I’m babbling.”

“What you are,” he said, staring at her, “is fascinating.”

“I get pretty opinionated about books. But whoever it’s named for, the suite’s downright awesome. It just makes me want to dance all around it, buck-ass naked.”

“I knew I should’ve brought a camera.”

“I wouldn’t mind.” Holding the robe up like a cape, she swirled once more. “I think it’d be sexy if we took naked pictures of each other. Then when I’m old, and all brittle and wrinkled up, I’d look at myself and remember being young.”

She bounced onto the bed. “You got any naked pictures of yourself?”

“Not so far.”

“Look at you.” She tickled his knee. “You’re embarrassed.”

“Not entirely.” Oh yeah, he thought, she was fascinating. “You got any?”

“Never trusted anybody enough before. And I’ve got this bony build. But you didn’t seem to mind it.”

“I think you’re beautiful.”

He meant it, and wasn’t that a miracle? She could see it in his eyes. She’d felt it in his touch. “I feel beautiful tonight.” She rose, wrapping the white robe around her. “All plush and lush and decadent.”

“Let’s order dessert.”

She stopped twirling. “Dessert? But it’s almost two in the morning.”

“They have this amazing invention called twenty-four-hour room service.”

“All night? I’m such a rube. But I don’t care.” She plopped back down on the bed. “Can we eat it up here? In bed?”

“The rules attached to twenty-four-hour room service are if you order after midnight, you’re required to eat in bed. Naked.”

She grinned wickedly. “Rules are rules.”

They lay belly-down, facing each other, with a plate of chocolate-soaked cake between them.

“Probably going to be sick,” she said as she ate another mouthful. “But it’s so good.”

“Here.” He stretched out an arm, managed to grab one of the glasses on the floor. “Wash it down.”

“I can’t believe you ordered another bottle of champagne.”

“You can’t do naked chocolate cake without champagne. It’s declassé.”

“If you say so.” She drank, then forked up more cake and held it out for him. “You know . . .” She wagged the fork at him. “On the date-o-meter you’re going to have to go a ways to top this one. I don’t think I can settle for anything less than, oh, a wild weekend in Paris or maybe a quick jet to Tuscany to make love in a vineyard.”

“How about a sun-and-sex-soaked sojourn to Bimini.”

“Sex-soaked sojourn.” She gave a tipsy giggle. “Say that five times fast.” On a moan, she rolled over to her back. “If I eat another bite, I believe I’ll regret it for the rest of my life.”

“Can’t have that.” He set the plate aside. Then easing forward, closed his mouth over hers in a lingering upside-down kiss.

“Mmm.” She rubbed her lips together when he lifted his head. “You taste very potent.”

“Got a nice chocolate high going here.”

She smiled as he slid down to her, as his hands trailed over her breasts, her torso, her belly. Then gasped when his lips nibbled away.

“Oh my God, Harper.”

“I forgot to mention this part of late-night dessert.” He shifted, reached out. Swirling a finger through cream and chocolate, he smeared it lightly onto her breast. “Oops. I’d better get that off.”

SHE FELT SO smug and cosmopolitan, stepping out of the elevator into the lobby with her overnight bag. It was nearly noon, and she was just wandering into the day. She’d had breakfast in bed. The fact was, she thought, she’d had about everything in bed that was available in the State of Tennessee.

She imagined even her toenails were glowing as a result.

“I’m going to check out.” He nipped a little kiss on her lips. “Why don’t you sit down?”

“I’m going to walk around. Look at everything. And I want to pick up a few things in the gift shop.”

“Be right back.”

She let out a happy sigh. She wanted to remember everything. The people, the fountain, the tidy bellmen, the shiny displays of art and jewelry.

She bought a little quacking duck for Lily, and a silver frame as a thank-you gift for Roz. Then there were the sweet duck-shaped soaps, and the pretty yellow cap that would look so cute on Lily. And . . .

“No man in his right mind turns his back on a woman in a gift shop,” Harper said from behind her.

“I can’t help it. Everything’s so pretty. No,” she said when she saw him reach for his wallet. “I’m getting these.” She set all her items on the counter, then picked up a canister once it was rung up. “This is for you.”

“Duck soap?”

She inclined her head. “To commemorate our stay. We had the best time,” she told the clerk.

“I’m glad you enjoyed the hotel. Are you here on business or pleasure?”

“Just pleasure.” Hayley gathered the bag. “Just lots and lots of pleasure.” She tucked her free hand into Harper’s as they strolled back into the lobby. “We’d better get home before Lily forgets what I look like and . . . oh man, just look at that bracelet.”

The display showcasing a local jeweler glittered and shone, but all Hayley could see was the delicate bracelet with sizzling white diamonds framing gleaming ruby hearts.

“It’s drop dead, isn’t it? I mean it’s elegant, even delicate, and the heart shapes make it romantic, but something about it just says: Hey, I’m an important piece. Maybe because it’s an estate piece. Antique jewelry has such a—what’s the word I want. Panache,” she decided.

“Nice.”

“Nice,” she said and rolled her eyes at him. “Such a guy. What it is, is stunning. Some of the other pieces in there have bigger stones, more diamonds, whatever, but this is the one that stands out. To me, anyway.”

He scanned the name and address of the store. “Let’s go get it.”

“Sure.” She laughed up at him. “Why don’t we pick up a new car on the way, too?”

“I like my car. The bracelet would suit you. Rubies would be your stone.”

“Harper, paste is my stone.”

She tugged his hand, but he continued to study the bracelet. The longer he looked at it, the more clearly he could see it on her. “I’ll just talk to the concierge.”

“Harper.” Distressed now, she stepped back. “I was just looking. That’s what we girls do—we look in shop windows.”

“I want to buy it for you.”

It was more than distress now, and closer to panic. “You can’t buy me something like that. It probably costs—I can’t even guess.”

“Then let’s find out.”

“Harper, just wait. Just . . . I don’t expect you to buy me expensive jewelry. I don’t expect you to do things like this.” She gestured to encompass the hotel. “It was the most incredible night of my life, but it’s not why—Harper, it’s not why I’m with you.”

“Hayley, if it was why you were with me, you wouldn’t be. Last night was for us, and it meant every bit as much to me as it did to you. I’ve got enough of my mother in me that you should know if I do something like this, it’s because I want to. I want to buy this for you, and if it’s not out of my range, that’s what I’m going to do.” He kissed her forehead. “Just hang here a minute.”

Speechless, she watched him walk to the concierge desk.

And on the drive home, she continued to be speechless at the way the ruby hearts in their diamond frames glittered on her wrist.