The Riches of Mercy (23 page)

Meredith knocked on the door. "I've got pajamas and towels."

Natalie opened the door.

Meredith put the bundle on the closed toilet lid.

"I can't get undressed," Natalie said.

"Why not?"

Natalie frowned at her.

"Oh. All right." Meredith put her hands on Natalie's waist, under her shirt. "Lift your arms."

"It'll hurt."

"As far as you can."

Natalie lifted one arm haphazardly above her head and the other arm out in front of her. Meredith maneuvered the shirt up, over her head, then over the arm Natalie brought down at her bidding to tuck through the shirt, and then over the bad arm. Meredith so perfunctorily set down the shirt and turned Natalie around to get at her bra clasp that Natalie didn't have time to be embarrassed, or turned on, or embarrassed about being turned on.

"I think you're fine from here. But holler if you need me." Meredith slipped through the door and closed it behind her.

Natalie nodded. She kicked off her sandals and pushed down her pants. She put up her hair and then tucked it into a shower cap. Already from the salt it felt gross in her hands, but going to bed with wet hair seemed worse. The shower left her skin red and searing and drained her last vestiges of energy. She stepped out thirsty, but warm and limber, and managed to get on the sweatpants and tee shirt Meredith left before she padded back into the bedroom.

She wasn't sure what she expected as she pushed open the door.

Meredith was asleep. She'd pushed down the blankets and was lying on the sheets, as if she'd conked out mid-plan. Natalie chuckled, and got into bed beside her, and turned out the lamp.

"Goodnight, Merry," she said.

She was sorry she was at the beach because the roar of the waves outside, crashing against the sand, drowned out the sound of Meredith's breathing.

# #

Chapter Twenty-Six

Natalie woke easily to sunlight, and though she was stiff, she still felt miraculously warm from the night before.

Meredith was gone. The imprint of where she slept remained. Natalie sat up and ran her hand over the sheets. Two capsules of Tylenol and a glass of water were on the nightstand and Natalie took them and then considered the empty bedroom.

Sleep beckoned. She was tempted, but there was also the smell of coffee and syrup from somewhere beyond the door. Merritt shouted something. The ocean crashed. She wanted to see the water.

She wondered if she knew Daniel and Jake well enough to stumble out there with sleep-straggly hair and pajamas. A robe hung behind the door, though, so she took that as a compromise, patted her hair, and went into the living room.

Meredith sat at the kitchen table with the boys. She glanced up when she heard the door and met Natalie's eyes. Natalie's cheeks flushed with warmth. So there was no shame about the night before. She went to the table, where the boys were eating cereal.

"Mommy says we're going to the airport later," Beau said.

Natalie nodded.

"Are you leaving?" Merritt asked.

"Only for a little while. I have a job in Charlotte, remember?"

Daniel, at the stove, narrowed his eyes. She wondered if he thought she was lying. She sat down at the table and Daniel asked what she wanted on her omelette.

"There are omelettes?"

Meredith nodded. She stabbed some egg off her own plate with her fork and waved it at Natalie.

"We have ham, cheese, spinach, pickles, relish, Tabasco, cheese, ketchup--"

"Just cheese and spinach, please."

"Ewwww," Merritt said.

"Gross," Beau said.

"Daddy didn't like spinach, either," Merritt said.

Natalie glanced at Meredith.

Meredith shrugged. "Must be genetic."

Jake came out of his bedroom, wearing swim trunks and carrying a big inner tube. A sling was tied around his chest, carrying Sunisa, who slept. "Ya'll boys ready for the beach?"

Merritt got out of his chair so fast he tripped, fell flat on his face on the floor, and started crying.

Beau, witnessing this, carefully got out of his chair and poked at his brother's back.

Merritt whimpered.

Jake went to the door and opened it, and Beau darted past him and down the staircase.

"Don't get too far from Jake, Beau," Meredith said.

"He won't drown," Natalie said.

"He doesn't have the sense God gave a rock."

Daniel slid an omelette onto Natalie's plate.

"You're a prince, Daniel," she said.

He grinned.

"Thank you."

"My pleasure. And now Merry gets to clean the kitchen." He scooped Merritt off the floor and threw him over his shoulder. "Later, ladies."

Meredith laughed.

Natalie ate while Meredith cleaned, and they talked some, not about the night before or the trial or Charlotte, but about the weather and the boys. Natalie thought about asking Meredith what her favorite color was, or her sign, but she realized she knew all that already and she didn't need to tease. So she ate until Meredith took her plate away, and then went into the bathroom. The Tylenol had done its job to take the pain from her body and she moved easily to wash her face, to comb her hair, to brush her teeth.

"Are we going to the beach?" she asked.

"Do you want to?"

Natalie came out of the bathroom. Meredith was leaning against the edge of the couch, waiting for her.

"Sure, I guess. If we have time."

"I sure think so. Why?"

"I'll shower after, so I won't smell like salt and sweat on the plane." Natalie self-consciously ran her fingers through her hair.

"I don't think you'd smell as bad as all that."

"No?" Natalie's heart felt like it was going to stop beating at any moment, but she took a deep breath and walked toward Meredith anyway. Meredith wasn't crying, wasn't angry--maybe she didn't need Natalie for what she needed her for last night. Natalie leaned in and Meredith rose off the couch to meet her. Their lips touched, and then their hands. Natalie linked her fingers with Meredith's and they stood together, kissing. Meredith lifted their linked hands and kissed Natalie's knuckles.

"We don't have to go to the beach. It's my last morning."

#

Meredith, heart pounding enough to make her feel foolish, took Natalie to the balcony, where they could see the ocean and the sky and the children. Past the front row of houses, past the dunes, the ocean glittered and shifted, the water catching the light. They heard shouts of joy.

"There they are," Meredith said, pointing to where two men and three smaller people swarmed around each other on the sand. "I think they're playing hacky sack."

"That does sound fun," Natalie said. "But--"

"But," Meredith said. She turned into Natalie's shoulder.

Natalie smelled so good. Meredith buried her nose against her and breathed. Natalie's heart beat under her cheek. Natalie's trembling told her for once--only this once, this day before Natalie left her--she wasn't alone in what she felt.

"Back inside?" Meredith asked.

Natalie moved faster than Meredith had ever seen, and they were barely back in the air-conditioned shade of the living room when Natalie kissed her. Her hands found Meredith's cheeks. Meredith gave in and hungry kisses consumed her lips. She tugged on Natalie's shoulders, pulling her down.

Meredith sat on the couch. Natalie's hands stroked her shoulders with quick, fluttering rubs, as if she didn't know what to do with her hands. Meredith opened her mouth to Natalie's kisses, her tongue equally eager, and bunched the fabric of Natalie's shirt at her waist. She slipped her hands under Natalie's shirt. The smooth skin under her fingers was pleasure enough, but the resulting groan from Natalie made the decision irrevocable.

Just when Meredith wanted to kiss Natalie until her mouth hurt, Natalie pulled back, gazing at her with dark, hesitant eyes.

Meredith took a deep breath. She freed her hands and Natalie took them.

"We shouldn't--" Natalie started.

"I need--I need to. Please. I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow. But if I don't--" She squeezed Natalie's hands. "I'll regret it for the rest of my life. Will you?"

She took Natalie's hands and brought them to her breasts, pressing them there, open and flat against her. Unmistakable, and if Natalie called her indecent or worse, there would only be the morning to get through.

The pressure of Natalie's hands warmed her. She held her breath. Her body acted of its own accord. Her nipples tightened. She longed for Natalie to press just a little bit harder. Her mouth was dry with anticipation.

Natalie swallowed. Her jaw worked, her throat moved, as if she wanted to say something, but it was her glance over her shoulder at the bedroom that answered the question. She glanced back at Meredith, and Meredith found her mouth for a kiss.

Natalie squeezed gently, perfectly. Meredith closed her eyes.

"I want." Natalie said against her ear, and then hesitated.

"What? Tell me."

With her eyes closed, all that existed was the heat of Natalie's hands and the touch of Natalie's breath. She inhaled. She couldn't hear the ocean as she strained for Natalie's next words.

"I want you to touch me. Please, Merry."

"Then the bedroom," Meredith said.

Natalie took a step back. Meredith stood and led her to the bedroom. Once across the threshold, she pulled off her shirt. Before she could lower her arms, Natalie encircled her waist from behind. Meredith leaned back. A sound escaped her lips.

Natalie held her strongly and she felt secure, even with Natalie's lips brushing her shoulder, her neck, her ear.

Heat pooled in her stomach. Lower. Her legs turned to liquid even as cold air chilled her chest. She arched back, resting the back of her head on Natalie's shoulder, curving into Natalie's hips.

"Natalie."

Natalie held her stomach with one hand. The other she slid down Meredith's thigh. Meredith reached up and pulled down her bra straps and freed her arms, and then reached behind her to bury her fingers in Natalie's hair. She wanted to keep her close.

Natalie kissed the side of Meredith's face.

Meredith let go and turned around. Natalie, face to face, smiled and kissed her. Her hands splayed across Meredith's back and unclasped her bra. Meredith kissed her mouth, her chin, her neck. She couldn't get close enough.

Natalie's mouth fell to her shoulder.

Meredith arched, offering more, whispering, "Please."

"Anything you want."

"Make love to me, Natalie."

Natalie eased her back onto the bed, leaning over her, and unzipped her jeans. Natalie's hand rested on her abdomen, just above where Meredith needed her touch. Any feeling this was too soon after their first kiss, she was loose for considering it, it was wrong, God hadn't sent Natalie to her to be corrupted and she was failing--all the negative energy left her as soon as Natalie's head lowered toward hers and their lips met. Natalie's weight settled against her side and on her chest. Meredith wanted to cry.

Natalie's head rested on Meredith's shoulder. She stroked Meredith's stomach, and then her breasts, avoiding her nipples, which strained upward, pining for her touch.

"You're injured," Meredith said. Her voice came out hoarse. She cleared her throat, and nearly yelped when Natalie brushed her nipple. She captured Natalie's hand and held it to her breast so her nipple pressed against Natalie's palm.

Natalie cupped her, applying pressure, and then drew back so her fingertips grazed and then tugged the nipple.

Meredith hissed.

Natalie cupped her breast again, easing the ache by offering her whole hand, massaging, and then tantalized her again with her fingers.

"So what?"

"I don't want you to hurt yourself." Meredith rolled onto her side, facing Natalie, and replaced her shoulder with a pillow, so Natalie's eyes were even with hers, her lips only inches away.

Natalie moved in and kissed her. "I'm fine."

Meredith shook her head.

Natalie carefully, slowly, sat up, propping herself up on her good arm. She tickled Meredith's abdomen with her weaker arm. "See? Very mobile." She twisted and leaned down to kiss the hollow of Meredith's shoulder. "Nimble."

Her mouth moved lower.

Meredith could not protest. She was too weak and too aroused to stop. She could only clutch Natalie's head and encourage her as Natalie kissed her chest, and then the slope of her breast, and then--

"Yes." Meredith said.

Natalie's mouth settled onto her nipple and sucked. Meredith arched her back, pressing more of herself against Natalie's lips. Natalie's tongue flicked. Meredith lost her breath. She squeezed her eyes shut, and wondered if she could die from having her nipples kissed. No wonder this was considered so dangerous.

Natalie lifted her head. "Doctor Wheeler said I could start having sex once he saw there were no complications from the surgery."

Meredith laughed. "Did he say with who?"

"No." Natalie kissed Meredith's stomach. "But I'm sure he had some idea."

"Too smart for his britches, he is."

"Good old Hank," Natalie said.

Natalie sat up and traced with her fingers the places her mouth had been, where Meredith's skin wore a sheen left by kisses. She strayed, more boldly this time, into Meredith's jeans, over her panties. Meredith squeezed her thighs together and moaned.

"You're so beautiful," Natalie said.

Meredith blushed. Natalie cupped her where she was all liquid and heat, her fingers hard. Meredith's toes curled.

"Natalie."

"Take off your clothes," Natalie said. "I can't--I can't quite manage."

"Only if you take off yours," Meredith said. Her threat was empty. She was already pushing down her jeans and her panties.

Natalie worked up her shirt. Meredith pulled down the covers, bunching them around Natalie. She wanted to feel the cool sheets on her naked body.

Natalie carefully drew her shirt off her shoulders.

"Better," Meredith said.

"You picked out the pajamas."

Meredith wanted to touch Natalie where she'd been touched--to feel the heat through the fabric, to see Natalie arch and twist and breathe hard--but she was not bold enough. She sat on the bed, her arms around her bent knees, while Natalie worked the pajama bottoms off her hips and kicked them to the floor.