Faint tendrils of steam floated off the bayou’s calm surface. A beautiful view, very relaxing. Next to her aunt and uncle, she’d missed the water most of all when she’d to moved to Ohio. There was nothing more beautiful than a quiet morning on the water, watching the world come to life. Plenty of times Uncle Tad had let her sleep alone on the Dilly in the marina. She’d claimed it was so she could sleep a little later in the mornings before a trip. The truth was she didn’t know how to explain, without feeling like an idiot, how the water calmed her. Soothing. The sound of the rigging chiming as the boat rocked in its slip, the calls of seagulls, the deep, warm throb of the engines, all of it.
No words could adequately describe it.
The paper lay unread in her lap as she sipped her coffee and stared across the bayou. Beyond it lay the Gulf. She’d love to work on the Dilly again. Hard work, sure, but nothing compared. Being stuck on dry land in Ohio made her miserable. When her parents told her of the move she’d sobbed, begged to stay behind. Uncle Tad and Aunt Karen had offered to let her live with them and finish high school, but her mom stood her ground, not wanting to be away from her “baby.”
Truth be told, Clarisse’s mom had never liked her brother-in-law, had looked down her nose at Tad Moore.
Mac was so sweet, and he tried so hard to make things good for her. And Sully…
She closed her eyes and thought about his grey gaze. He was a handsome man, they both were, in different ways. How ironic Mac had a few inches and several pounds on Sully, yet Sully had the
“Master” role.
I’ve got to try harder.
It would only be fair for Sully to toss her out on her ass if she couldn’t be a little kinder to him.
The sun lifted over the tree line, warming her back and shoulders to the point where she shed the sweatshirt and put the jacket on again.
She sat there for almost two hours, completely finished the paper.
About the time she’d planned to return inside, she heard the front door open and shut, followed by a single pair of footsteps on the stairs.
From the sound, she recognized Sully’s lighter step.
Clarisse tensed.
A car door opened and closed. Then Sully’s Jag started and pulled out.
When she turned, he was already down the road.
She hadn’t even tried to call out to him, to say good morning or thanks for helping her out.
She’d hunched down, praying she wasn’t noticed.
She gathered everything and returned to the house. Mac offered her a broad smile when she walked into the kitchen.
“Morning! You hungry, kiddo?”
She nodded and slid onto one of the stools at the counter. She wanted to ask about Sully but didn’t. It wasn’t her business where he went or what he did.
Mac kept up a mostly one-sided conversation with her while he cooked. When he slid a plate of bacon and eggs in front of her, he laid his hand over hers. “Are you really okay?”
“It’s just hitting me, that’s all. And I really miss Bart.” She almost successfully fought the urge to sniffle. “I’ve never been away from him before. I know it sounds dumb, but he’s like my baby.”
“We’ll get him back for you, sweetie. One way or the other, and you won’t have to go alone. I promise.”
“I can’t ask you to go with me.”
His face and voice grew firm, commanding. “You aren’t asking.
I’m telling you, I’m going with you.”
“Will Sully let you?” She wished she hadn’t asked it.
He squeezed her hand before moving back to the stove. “He won’t dare say no.”
Mac didn’t offer Sully’s whereabouts and she didn’t pry. Mac took her to Tad’s and dropped her off while he ran errands. When he picked her up and they drove home, she managed to snag two grocery bags out of the truck before he could stop her.
“No, I’m helping.” She stuck her tongue out at him, daring him to take the bags away from her.
He laughed. “Okay, fine. Carry the damn bags, you stubborn brat.”
She paused at his playful tone of voice. Normally, comments like that would cause her to bristle or shoot back with a scathing reply.
But…
It felt different coming from Mac. She couldn’t explain it.
Sully returned home before dinner. Clarisse suspected from Mac’s puzzled look that he didn’t have any idea where Sully had been. Sully kissed him, then turned to her.
“Did you have a good day?”
She fought her body’s instincts. She could do this, dammit. He was a nice guy. “Yes, thank you.”
He held out his hand. “Come with me. I want to show you something.”
Clarisse hesitated before placing her hand in his.
He smiled, full of playful, teasing mirth, and led her to the front door with Mac trailing behind. “Mac, cover her eyes, don’t let her see.
Clarisse, use the handrail. I won’t let you fall.”
Like that, they helped her down the stairs. She didn’t know what waited, only that halfway down, Mac suppressed a laugh.
They led her across the driveway. She could tell by the feel of the gravel under her feet. When they stopped, Sully gently squeezed her hand before pressing something into her palm. “Open your eyes, honey.”
A bright green VW Bug sat next to Sully’s Jag in the driveway.
She looked at what he’d put into her hand—a keychain.
Numb shock hit her, followed by a wave of tears. She felt Mac slip his arm around her shoulders. “Well, how about that?” Mac said.
“Go on. Let’s see how you look in it.”
“Mac, did you know he was going to do this?”
He smiled and shook his head. “Nope. But now I know what he was up to all freaking day long.”
She turned to Sully. “I can’t accept this.”
He stepped forward and gently took her hands. “You can, and you will. This is a gift. It’s not new, it’s six years old, but it’s in good shape. I had my mechanic go over it. It’ll get good gas mileage and it’ll last you for several years. I put it in my name for now. I’ll pay the insurance for you until…things settle.”
She wiped the tears off her face and forced herself to hug him.
“Thank you.” She relaxed against him, allowing herself to rest her head on his shoulder. “You’ve been so nice to me and I’m such a bitch.”
“Stop.” He made her look at him. “You’ve been through hell.
You’re not a bitch. Don’t make me spank you.” The curl along the edges of his mouth belied his words.
She laughed. “Okay. Thank you.”
Mac walked ahead and opened the driver’s door for her. Sully climbed into the passenger side. “Want to take me for a quick spin?”
“Sure.”
Mac stuck his head in the driver side. “Dinner’s almost ready.”
“We’ll be right back,” Sully assured him.
They buckled up and drove to the end of their street and back.
When they pulled in, he started to unbuckle his seatbelt when she reached over.
“Sully…really. Thank you. You’ve been nothing but good to me.
I’m sorry I’m…difficult.”
“You’re anything but difficult.” He brushed a finger along her chin, sending a warm flutter through her core. “We need to get upstairs before we ruin Mac’s dinner and make him mad.”
Sully let her climb the stairs first and tried to keep his eyes off her ass as he followed. She was cute. She was also totally off-limits for several reasons, the first and foremost being the man who slept in his bed every night. The second, she was in no way, shape, or form someone he needed to even think about in that way due to what she’d been through. Despite Tad’s persistent hints, while Sully wasn’t adverse to a poly situation, Clarisse most likely wouldn’t want to join them in their relationship. Especially when, back to point number two, she’d been beat to hell and back.