Bayou Heat (14 page)

His unease grew. “Oh, she’s in fine mystically vague form today. If I could just get
my hands on—” He broke off, knowing he wasn’t really angry with Belisaire. There were
forces at work he knew nothing about, and therefore couldn’t control.

“I passed her on the path. She asked that we both come to the
hounfour
.”

“Well, God forbid we keep her waiting.” He’d left Louisiana determined to control
his life, and he had. Along with everything around it, as well. He’d become cold,
clearheaded, thorough, and totally in control of himself and those he dealt with.

Until he returned home. Now he felt as if his life
were spinning beyond his control once again and he hated it. With a passion that frightened
him. Because to feel that depth of emotion he had to care. Deeply. Fully.

He didn’t want to care. To feel. Not like that. Not ever again.

“Let’s get this over with. I have a lot to do today.” He pushed past Erin and started
up the path. He couldn’t hear her behind him, but he knew she was there. He felt her.

“What does she want? You were just talking to her, what did she say?”

“Nothing.” And everything. The heart sees what the head cannot. And vice versa. He
shook his head, knowing better than to analyze or question it. Belisaire was always
right. And the meaning always revealed itself sooner or later. He just wished for
once he could see it coming. He had a feeling this one was going to hit him exceptionally
hard. “She’ll tell us what she wants when she wants. Control is her game.”

“Ah, runs in the gene pool I see.”

Teague slowed a half step, but didn’t look back. “Better than the alternative.”

“Yes, but tough when only one of you can control at a time.” She caught up with him,
placing her hand on his arm.

This time he stopped and looked at her. “I don’t want to control her,” he said. “Or
you. I just want you both to be safe.”

“Control the situation that controls us then?”

“Something like that.”

Erin lifted her hand to his face. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“Wanting to keep anything bad from happening to me or Belisaire.” She smiled. “Although
I’m pretty sure I’m the only one that feels that way.” He simply stared at her, nonplussed.
“I’m not saying I need you to watch out for me, Teague. Or that I even want you to.
But that you want to, that you are trying, well …”

Her gaze dropped from his almost shyly. Shy? Erin?

He lifted her face to his with a hand under her chin. “It’s not just that I want to,
Erin,” he said quietly. “I can’t
not
do it. I—I need to.” He stepped closer, his voice dropping to a rough whisper. “Nothing
bad can happen to you. Do you understand?”

Erin stared at him.

“I think I do.” She cleared her throat. “But if something does happen, Teague, it’s
not your fault, or responsibility.” She blew out a sigh. “That’s what Belisaire meant
about us making our own choices.”

“And what if my choice is to do whatever is necessary to make sure you don’t get caught
in the middle here?”

“Middle? In the middle of what, Teague? What’s going on down here?”
And what is your role in it?
she begged silently.

“You’re being threatened. I don’t know who or why, and Belisaire isn’t talking. I
just want to make sure it’s safe for you down here.”

There was no doubt in her mind that he wasn’t telling her everything. Marshall had
made a few comments earlier that day as he helped her settle in. They had niggled
at her, but at the time she hadn’t understood
why. “Marshall is concerned about you,” she said carefully.

There was the slightest twitch in his jaw.

“Oh? And why is that?”

“He didn’t come right out and say it.” She shrugged as if to make light of it, wondering
how foolish she was being, intruding where she didn’t belong.
So what else is new, McClure? Your whole life is about intruding where you don’t belong
.

Yeah, but this time, I don’t want to be just an observer, I want to belong
, responded that tiny voice inside her. She squashed it.

“He just commented on your lifestyle since you’ve come home. He sounded kind of concerned
about all the time you spend down here. I think he sort of wishes you were more connected
with your family.”

“I work here. My family
is
here.”

“Not all of it, Teague.”

“You don’t have any idea what you’re getting into there, Erin.”

“I’d like to,” she said, before she lost her nerve. She took a small, shaky breath
and added, “I care too, Teague. I don’t want anything bad to happen to you either.”

He stared at her, his mask slowly slipping away, until the ferocity of emotion in
his face made her knees weak.

“Then let’s go see what Belisaire wants so I can get back to finding out what is going
on down here.”

“Teague, I want to—”

He pressed a finger to her lips. “Let me do what I
have to do. What I need to do. Then I’ll come get you and we’ll talk.”

“At Beaumarchais?” She knew instantly she’d said the wrong thing.

“No. I have somewhere else in mind.”

He was trying, so would she. “Okay.”

Teague nodded, then turned up the path. He went several steps then slowed to let her
catch up. Without looking, he reached back and took her hand. When she paused, he
tugged gently, pulling her to his side.

Erin looked down, heat in her cheeks, a broad smile curving her lips. She darted a
sideways glance at him and squeezed his hand at the same time.

Teague didn’t drop her hand when they entered the
hounfour
. Though Belisaire didn’t so much as glance at them, Erin was certain she’d seen the
intimate connection. It didn’t bother her in the least. There would be plenty of time
later for extended analysis. For now, Belisaire would likely command all her wits.

She didn’t have to wait long for confirmation.

“Come, sit.” The older woman led them into the peristyle and gestured to a round oak
table in one corner of her
bagi
.

As usual, Belisaire didn’t waste any time. “We will be conducting a special ceremony
this Sunday night. Not public. You are welcome to attend, Erin.” Her tone left no
doubt that this was a command appearance. Erin didn’t mind. She was thrilled, could
barely sit still. Finally!

Teague must have sensed it. He squeezed her hand beneath the small pedestal table.

Belisaire shifted her gaze to Teague. His hand froze on Erin’s for a moment and she
fought a smile. The idea of anyone, even Belisaire, striking so much as a heartbeat
of a pause in Teague Comeaux amused her to no end. His sudden tight pressure let her
know he’d seen her expression. She barely caught the laughter bubbling up in her throat.
For goodness’ sake, they were acting like schoolchildren. And in front of Belisaire.

She struggled to compose herself. The ritual. She focused on that. A goal of a lifetime
achieved.

“You will come too,” Belisaire directed to Teague. “As guide and chaperone to Erin.
Answer her questions.”

Teague slid his hand from hers and steepled his fingers on the table. He might as
well have shouted his discomfort. Erin felt oddly bereft.

“I’m sorry, Grand-mère, but I can’t do that.”

Erin turned to him, her mouth open in surprise.

“For her to be accepted, you must,” Belisaire said simply.

“It’s not that I don’t want to—”

“Without your chaperonage, I’m afraid I refuse to let Erin attend.”

Erin’s stunned gaze swung back to Belisaire. “I wouldn’t get in the way,” she interjected
quickly. “Tell me where to stand and I won’t move. State the rules, I’ll follow them.”
Erin knew she wasn’t swaying her one whit. “I’m honored, Belisaire. This is such an
important opportunity for me. You must know that. You have my word I would not intrude.
But I do want to be there.”

Belisaire’s only response was to look at Teague. “You will attend,
chèr
. You must.”

The tension in the room was palpable.

“I have other obligations.”

“And I say you will be here.” She didn’t raise her voice, but the order was like a
clap of thunder.

“I’m no longer a boy you can command, Belisaire. If I say I cannot be here, you must
respect that. But don’t penalize Erin, Grand-mère. She has worked hard for this opportunity.”

“It will be as I say, Teague. Or it will not be.”

Belisaire pushed to a stand, bracing her palms on the table. She stared in silence,
first at Teague, then at Erin. Finally she straightened and clasped her hands in front
of her.

“You will choose,
chèr
.” Her eyes rested on Erin, but she spoke to Teague. “Choose well.”

She turned and walked to the door. “I will speak with Erin this afternoon,” she said
without looking back. “You may come get her in three hours.” She left the enclosed
courtyard, disappearing into the back of the small house. The echo of a door quietly
closing sounded a moment later.

Teague was silent. The tension was still knife-slicing thick. Erin finally blew out
a long sigh and leaned back in her chair.

Teague stood. “I have to go. I will be back for you.”

So controlled. She wondered if he might explode if she reached out and touched him.
Fighting the strong desire to do just that, she stood also. “No. I can find my own
way back when we are through. Toutou can take
me. I’ll call and make sure Marshall can pick me up at the dock.”

“Wait for me.”

“Teague—”

He circled the table, stopping directly in front of her. “I can’t be here Sunday.”
She saw regret and a great deal of strain. “I would if—”

“This isn’t your responsibility, Teague. Yes, I’m disappointed. But I have her attention
for the afternoon, which is more than I’d hoped when I came here today. There will
be other invitations.”
I hope
. Something about Belisaire’s tone had been so … final.

He held her gaze for another moment. “You’ll wait?”

“Yes.”

He nodded and started for the door. Erin followed, studying his back as he moved through
the house and onto the front porch. What burden was he shouldering? She had no doubt
it was a great one.

Without questioning her motives, or her own needs, she caught up to him, slipping
her hand in his. His palm was warm, his skin a bit rough. She felt his tension, wanted
badly to absorb some of it, relieve him of whatever it was he carried.

They walked across the clearing in silence. Then he slowly tightened his fingers until
he gripped her hand hard. Erin felt a sudden burning behind her eyes. He needed to
take. She needed to give. Why was that such a hard thing?

She halted, the sudden action half turning him to her.

“Teague.” Her voice was a whispered plea. For what, she couldn’t put into words. She
wove her fingers into his hair, pulling his head down to hers.

His eyes stayed on hers, but he didn’t resist. The instant her mouth closed on his,
he groaned low and long. His stance relaxed and he turned to her completely, pulling
her into his arms.

The kiss was slow, deep. And open to the soul. She felt bare, exposed, yet she pulled
him closer. He took her mouth, took her need. But when she was drained to the point
of trembling, the balance shifted. And slowly, so slowly it made her throat tighten
at the tenderness of it, he gave himself over to her until he too was trembling.

Her breathing was deep and uneven as his mouth slid from hers. She tilted her head
back when he trailed his lips across her jaw to just below her ear. He folded her
more deeply into his arms. She both felt and heard his sigh when she wrapped her arms
around his waist, holding him tightly.

They stood that way for some time.

He pressed a gentle kiss on the pulse point below her ear. “I will disappoint you
again, Erin.” His voice was a soft rasp against her neck. “I won’t want to,
ange
. But I will. And for that I apologize now.”

Erin pressed her forehead into his shoulder, his words making her shiver. “Just do
what you have to do, Teague. I will too. We’ll deal with the rest as it happens.”
She slowly eased out of his arms. “You’d better go.”

“Walk me to the boathouse?”

She nodded.

His hand sliding in hers as they cut down the path was easy and natural. Erin marveled
at how such simple contact could be so intimate, so … binding.

“How did you get here?” he asked as they neared the pier. His bateau bobbed silently
at the end.

“Marshall brought me.”

Teague’s eyebrows rose. “Marsh?”

“He drove me to the dock at Bayou Bruneaux. Belisaire sent Toutou to guide us in by
boat. I’d interviewed him before, so I felt okay about it.”

“Marshall came here?”

Erin frowned. “Is that a problem? He didn’t want me to go alone. I thought you’d want
him to stay with me anyway, so I didn’t argue.”

“Since when have you worried about what I want you to do?” he asked dryly.

She smiled briefly, then said, “I promised, Teague.”

“Did he speak with Belisaire?”

She shook her head. “He saw me to the boathouse. I knew my way from there. I was coming
from there when I heard you and Belisaire.”

Teague said nothing.

“Is it so unusual? Marsh coming down here? Didn’t he come down here as a child?”

“Never. Marshall had nothing to do with my life here.”

Erin frowned. “Maybe he’s trying to be part of your life now, Teague.” She flinched
an instant after he did.

“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to say painful things, but I don’t understand—”

Teague turned and untied the boat. Erin’s shoulders slumped. She’d wanted so badly
to help, but she only seemed to make things worse.

“I’ll be back in three hours,” he said, busy with the boat, not looking at her.

“I’ll be here.”

He stood abruptly and turned to her. “Wait at the
hounfour
.”

“Okay,” she said automatically, not wanting there to be any further tension between
them. “I promise.”