foot.
Fully clothed, he carried her into the shower. The next hour had been such a delicious experience. Slick skin and hungry mouths, grasping and teasing hands. He had led her to a place so close to heaven that remembering it left her breathless with yearning.
Now, she looked across the small distance between them. Physically he hadn’t changed other than deeper lines bracketing his mouth and fanning out from his eyes. He still had what it took to throw her stomach into a mass of churning need.
Something flickered in his eyes, and it made her wonder if he was remembering the same thing.
“It was good between us, wasn’t it?”
Her answer seemed important to him. “Yes. Yes it was.” The dog squirmed in her grasp. She blinked, then sighed. “Vivian’s probably wondering what’s taking you so long.”
The softness left his face, and he nodded curtly. “You’re right.”
“Can you just hold onto the dog food and everything till morning?” She wasn’t up to seeing him two times in one evening, and she still had some lunch scraps for the dog. “I’ll probably be asleep by the time you come back.”
“Sure.”
He disappeared. With the faint sound of the door closing, Clarisse breathed a little easier. But alone now, she was left to battle the images of the past.
She turned her attention back to the dog and dried his hair to a black silvery sheen. She ran her fingers through the locks and thought of John’s hair. It seemed, no matter how hard she tried he always crept into her consciousness.
Those four months together had been one of the happiest times of her life. She gave herself a self-deprecating smile and shook her head. For one evening, couldn’t she forget the man? She did have some free will. At least, she would like to think so.
She released the dog from the towels and rose awkwardly to her feet. The animal raced around the bed, through the chairs and between her legs. Maybe this four-legged creature would do the trick of keeping John from her mind.
She changed into a nightgown, then slipped under the covers. After a moment, the dog jumped up and snuggled into the curve of her stomach. Absently playing with his fur, she decided she better find a name for him.
“How about Toto? Not exactly original, but I think it’ll do.” She smoothed his fur with a gentle hand. “Now you have a name. And tonight you don’t have to worry about your next meal or where you’re going to sleep. I wish life were so simple for people.”
She sighed, stared up at the ceiling, and tried not to think of John. Eventually, time and weariness closed her eyes. The sweet oblivion of sleep claimed her.
CHAPTER EIGHT
At four in the morning, Clarisse found herself again in the back seat of John’s Explorer. She couldn’t withstand another day like yesterday. The dog had added a new dimension to a trip already out of control. At least Vivian ignored her. Except, of course, when John’s attention was diverted elsewhere. The redhead used those opportunities to fling venomous looks her way, and she suspected it would be only a matter of time before Vivian vocalized her animosity.
Another two days. Then Clarisse would be rid of her, and John. At least temporarily. There was still the hurdle of her sister’s wedding and reception. But she would worry about that when the time came.
By ten the heat enveloped her with suffocating intensity. Her jeans clung to every curve of her hips and legs and perspiration trickled down her back, drenching her cotton shirt even further. Sprawled out on the seat beside her, Toto panted heavily. She offered him a paper cup filled with water. He sniffed the edge but refrained from drinking. His listlessness worried Clarisse. If he continued to act this way, she would mention it to John and get his opinion.
She grabbed her book to divert her attention from the heat, but the words melded into one. Over the wind whipping the plastic around Vivian’s dress, an odd sound had her lifting
Fully clothed, he carried her into the shower. The next hour had been such a delicious experience. Slick skin and hungry mouths, grasping and teasing hands. He had led her to a place so close to heaven that remembering it left her breathless with yearning.
Now, she looked across the small distance between them. Physically he hadn’t changed other than deeper lines bracketing his mouth and fanning out from his eyes. He still had what it took to throw her stomach into a mass of churning need.
Something flickered in his eyes, and it made her wonder if he was remembering the same thing.
“It was good between us, wasn’t it?”
Her answer seemed important to him. “Yes. Yes it was.” The dog squirmed in her grasp. She blinked, then sighed. “Vivian’s probably wondering what’s taking you so long.”
The softness left his face, and he nodded curtly. “You’re right.”
“Can you just hold onto the dog food and everything till morning?” She wasn’t up to seeing him two times in one evening, and she still had some lunch scraps for the dog. “I’ll probably be asleep by the time you come back.”
“Sure.”
He disappeared. With the faint sound of the door closing, Clarisse breathed a little easier. But alone now, she was left to battle the images of the past.
She turned her attention back to the dog and dried his hair to a black silvery sheen. She ran her fingers through the locks and thought of John’s hair. It seemed, no matter how hard she tried he always crept into her consciousness.
Those four months together had been one of the happiest times of her life. She gave herself a self-deprecating smile and shook her head. For one evening, couldn’t she forget the man? She did have some free will. At least, she would like to think so.
She released the dog from the towels and rose awkwardly to her feet. The animal raced around the bed, through the chairs and between her legs. Maybe this four-legged creature would do the trick of keeping John from her mind.
She changed into a nightgown, then slipped under the covers. After a moment, the dog jumped up and snuggled into the curve of her stomach. Absently playing with his fur, she decided she better find a name for him.
“How about Toto? Not exactly original, but I think it’ll do.” She smoothed his fur with a gentle hand. “Now you have a name. And tonight you don’t have to worry about your next meal or where you’re going to sleep. I wish life were so simple for people.”
She sighed, stared up at the ceiling, and tried not to think of John. Eventually, time and weariness closed her eyes. The sweet oblivion of sleep claimed her.
CHAPTER EIGHT
At four in the morning, Clarisse found herself again in the back seat of John’s Explorer. She couldn’t withstand another day like yesterday. The dog had added a new dimension to a trip already out of control. At least Vivian ignored her. Except, of course, when John’s attention was diverted elsewhere. The redhead used those opportunities to fling venomous looks her way, and she suspected it would be only a matter of time before Vivian vocalized her animosity.
Another two days. Then Clarisse would be rid of her, and John. At least temporarily. There was still the hurdle of her sister’s wedding and reception. But she would worry about that when the time came.
By ten the heat enveloped her with suffocating intensity. Her jeans clung to every curve of her hips and legs and perspiration trickled down her back, drenching her cotton shirt even further. Sprawled out on the seat beside her, Toto panted heavily. She offered him a paper cup filled with water. He sniffed the edge but refrained from drinking. His listlessness worried Clarisse. If he continued to act this way, she would mention it to John and get his opinion.
She grabbed her book to divert her attention from the heat, but the words melded into one. Over the wind whipping the plastic around Vivian’s dress, an odd sound had her lifting
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