Chadwick's Rare Find (An Intriguing Romance Novel) (15 page)

“Vana,” Brittany couldn’t pull herself together. “Vana, please tell me we did not just roll around on the floor and break your sisters nice table and vase over this. Oh God, help me.  I can’t stop laughing.”  Tears were flowing down her face.  

At this point, Vana, Christy and Amber were staring at Brittany.  They wondered what was so funny.  They all waited patiently to find out.  

“Okay, okay.  Whew….let me get myself together.  Vana, call him.  Call him right now and ask him to come over here.  No, no.  Let me call him.”  A phone appeared before her.  Everyone was very curious at this point.   Brittany looked at Vana across the table.

“Give me the number.  I know you know it, because you obviously have not seen this man face-to-face.  But I am going to make sure you do this very night.”   Vana gave her the number by rout.  

Everyone listened as Brittany asked Clarence to come over to Adanna’s.  She gave him the address.  She told him she wanted him to meet her sisters.  When she hung up the phone she said, “Okay girls.  He’s on his way.  I’m going upstairs to put on something long and ugly.  I advise all of you to do the same.”

When she got up, everyone got up and hastily went up the stairs to change into something unappealing.  They weren’t for sure what was going on, but they didn’t dare ignore her warning.  

#

The doorbell rang in less than fifteen minutes.  No one got anywhere in San Diego Valley in fifteen minutes.  Vana wondered if he lived close by.  He never said so when she talked to him on the phone.  She was beginning to wonder if she had indeed made a mistake believing Clarence Rochester. 

Everyone stood in the foyer as Vana prepared to open the door.  They were all dressed pretty badly.  Vana wondered how was it that all of them had such hideous things in their wardrobe.  Vana had on a knitted black skirt that went all the way to the floor.  It had lent all over it.  It was too big for her and did not touch her skin anywhere.  She looked like she was standing in the middle of a huge black pipe.  Her shirt was black too.  It too was oversized. 

Brittany’s tent dress was just as hideous.  She wore a thick sweater over it to hide her arms.  Christy and Amber were covered from head to toe in baggy jeans and sweatshirts.  They were ready to meet Mr. Clarence Rochester.  

Vana opened the door, but didn’t see anyone until she looked down. What she saw was unbelievable.  Clarence Rochester was something unspeakable.  He was a midget.  Not overtly short, but a midget.  He was a fat midget at that.  Vana stepped back to let the little man inside the foyer. She absolutely refused to make eye contact with Brittany or her sisters. She had no idea how she was going to make it through the next few minutes without offending Clarence, because every time she looked at him the only thing she could see was him sitting in Brittany’s lap, because Brittany couldn’t possibly fit in his, as he made love to her.  The visual was so ridiculous that Vana’s laughter could barely be contained.  Biting her lips she chanced a look at Brittany.  

Brittany had her hand out to shake Clarence’s hand.  He grabbed it and kissed the back of her hand, making a loud smacking noise.  It was intolerable.  Brittany snatched her hand away and wiped it across her dress.  

“Clarence it’s so nice to see you again,” she lied.  “We are here visiting Vana and her sister and she tells me that she knows you. Vana come meet Mr. Rochester in person.”  Brittany picked Vana’s hand up and gave it to Clarence and he bestowed upon her hand the same kiss he had given Brittany.  

“My word.  So many pretty girls in one room.  I’m overwhelmed.  And who is this?” His predator eyes settled on Amber, who backed away.  

“This is Amber, Brittany’s sister.  Come on over here Amber and meet Mr. Rochester.”  Vana was not about to let Amber off the hook.  She would suffer the same indignity she and Brittany had suffered.  

Christy was the only one who got away.  As soon as the door opened and she saw Clarence-the-midget she had flown back up the stairs.  They heard her shrill laughter while they had struggled to contain theirs.  

Clarence walked past the foyer without an invitation to do so, which made Vana want to grab him by the neck and throw his little behind out the door.  “This is a nice house.  Do I get a tour?”  

“No you don’t get a tour.  This is my sister’s house.  She would be the only one who could give you a tour.”  Vana wanted him gone.  She had seen enough.  She looked at Brittany and mouthed the words “I’m sorry,” over Clarence’s head.  Brittany smiled and shrugged her shoulders.  Revenge was in the making first.  Friendship would come later. 

“Well, Clarence I just wanted to introduce you to the girls.  I’ve had a long day and since you and Vana know each other, I’ll leave you two to it.”  With that Brittany pivoted and took the stairs two at a time with nary a look over her shoulder.  Amber was right behind her.  Vana stood beside Clarence in disbelief.  She had been left alone with a perverted midget. 

#

Adanna came home to find glass and water on her floor.  Her beautiful vase that she had picked up at the flea market was on the floor in a zillion little pieces.  Someone had pushed the broken table back against the wall.  Adanna was more interested in what had happened than upset at the damage done.  She headed towards the kitchen where she could hear talking.  The sight that met her eyes was enough to make her lean heavily against the wall and clutch her chest.  

Vana was dressed from head to toe in the most hideous outfit she had ever seen.  She had a wild look in her eyes.  Across from her sat something.  Adanna had to move further into the room to be sure.  Yes, it was just as she thought.  Sitting across from Vana was a hideous little midget man.  His little legs stuck right out from the booth he was sitting in.  They didn’t even dangle.  Adanna was rendered speechless.  She looked mutely from the midget man to Vana.  She repeated this three times, before she was mercifully spoken to directly. 

“Another pretty lady.  This is my day.  I’m Clarence Rochester.  You must be Adanna?”  He reached his hand out to shake hers.  Adanna could see Vana shaking her head no, but it was too late.  The little odious man had his wet lips on the back of her hand already. Adanna’s hand stayed suspended in the air even after he had leaned back into the booth.  She felt faint.  Adanna had no idea what to do next.  So, she looked to Vana for direction. 

“Clarence, it has been a long day for all of us and I have enjoyed your company, but Adanna and I have some things we need to take care of, so you’ll have to excuse us.”  Vana was trying to tell him to leave in the nicest way possible. 

“Should I wait here until you finish?”  

Vana’s patience snapped. “No.  What you should do is leave.  Come with me.  I will walk you to the door.”  Standing up Vana waited for him to climb out of the booth.  Instead of preserving his dignity and sliding out, he actually turned onto his knees and scooted out backwards to slowly lower his feet to the ground.  

All the laughter had long died inside of Vana.  She looked at Adanna, who still wore a puzzled look on her face.  Taking the little man by the forearm she guided him out as if he were a child.  She marched him to the door, opened it, and let him out like the little puppy that he was.  He turned to speak, but Vana shut the door in his face before one syllable reached her ears.  

She had spent two and a half hours listening to that imbecilic creature.  She had spent days being angry and stirred up over lies that he had told on Brittany.  Vana was full of self-loathing.  All she wanted was a shot of whiskey and sleep. 

“Vana, what is –”.  Vana’s hand went up to silence Adanna.  There would be no more talking on her part or anyone else’s in her presence.  She wanted silence. 

“Ask someone else.  I am going to bed.” 

Adanna was left alone to wonder who had vandalized her foyer, why her sister was dressed like a homeless person, and why she was entertaining an obnoxious little midget man in her kitchen. 

Brittany turned over in bed.  Lying on her back, she stared at the ceiling.  Lifting her pendant watch from her neck, she noted that she had been asleep for two hours.  After fighting Vana and getting to the bottom of her hostility, Brittany had been exhausted.  Leaving Vana with Clarence had been an awfully catty thing to do, but Vana deserved it after all the trouble she had caused.  Lying back in the bed Brittany wondered what time Chadwick would call.  She decided that she would let Vana clear up the lies she had repeated.  After all, Chadwick hadn’t mentioned anything to her yet.  If their parting kiss was an indication of where he stood with her, then he had not believed a word Vana said.  

It was late.  The house was quiet.  Brittany felt sure everyone had gone to bed.  Climbing out of her own bed, she made her way to the bathroom.  Having a bathroom all to herself was a novelty.  She had shared a bathroom with her sisters all her life.  The peace and quiet of it all was foreign but welcome.  Brittany needed the privacy to think about her and Chadwick’s relationship and where it was headed.  She could literally hide away for hours in this spacious room Adanna had so graciously given to her.  

Walking into the luxurious bathroom, Brittany flipped the switch on.  She looked at herself in the mirror.  Aside from a few scratches on her neck, she was unscathed from her fight with Vana.  She was glad to observe there were no patches of hair missing.  Shaking her head and laughing at the events of the evening, she poured musk-scented bubble bath into the tub of running hot water.  Before long, steam was rising all around her.  Brittany stretched, stepped out of her underwear and lowered herself into the tub.  

It felt wonderful.  Leaning back, she closed her eyes.  Her thoughts drifted easily to Chadwick.  He was so strong.  Brittany knew she was a big girl.  He had lifted her voluptuous, long-legged frame several times.  Each time she had felt as light as air.  Brittany smiled and sank lower into the water.  

Her cell phone was ringing. She was out of the tub in a flash.  Her feet tangled  in her underwear and she stumbled into the bedroom landing sideways on the floor.  Crawling on her knees, she frantically grabbed the phone and hit the green button.  

“Hello!” 

“Hello. You sound---are you okay?” Chadwick’s voice was concerned.

“I’m fine.  Hold on, Chadwick.”  Brittany picked herself up from the floor, bent over and snatched her bra and panties from around her ankles.  Throwing them across the room she went back into the bathroom with the cell phone in her hand.  

“Okay, Chadwick. I’m here.  Sorry about that, I had a little technical difficulty.”  He didn’t need to know what kind.   Lowering herself back into the tub, Brittany was careful not to drop the phone or get it wet.  

“Are you in the tub?”  Chadwick could hear the water.  

“Yes.  I just ran a bath before you called.”  She felt her skin warming and not because of the warm water.  What must he be thinking? 

#

Chadwick’s evening at the office had been boring and uneventful.  With every passing hour he wanted to howl.  His partner was gone to Honolulu with his wife and kids and would not be coming back for a week.  There wasn’t a chance Chadwick could get away earlier – not with a merger in progress.  He was stuck in Atlanta for a whole week.  

He left the office at midnight.  He wasn’t hungry.  So, he had gone straight home.  After jumping into the shower and putting on a t-shirt and some briefs, he’d climbed into bed with a beer and popcorn.  Picking up his cell phone he hit the memory button for Brittany. 

#

“You’re in the tub?” Chadwick said in disbelief.  How was he supposed to have an intelligent conversation with Brittany Bradfield, a six- feet-something, bombshell, sexual goddess, virgin, while she sat naked in a tub?

“Yes.  If that bothers you, I can get out.” 

“No.  Please stay in.  It’s just that it’s so early in the morning.”

“It’s just eleven o’clock here.  That’s still late, but not too late.” 

“I forgot about the time difference.  It’s one o’clock here.”

Brittany settled back into the water and listened to Chadwick talk about his day at work.  She asked a few questions, but mostly listened.  He soon got around to asking questions about her day.  He couldn’t believe that all she had done was taken a nap.  Brittany was hesitant to tell him anything else.  So, in order to change the subject about her day she had to come up with something different to talk about.  But first she had to get out of the tub.  Her skin was wrinkled from being in the water too long. 

“Chadwick, hold on again.  I need to get out of the tub.”  Chadwick was thankful, because it had taken more reserve than he knew he possessed to keep from getting into phone sex with her.  He knew exactly what to say to get them both in a bit of trouble even over the phone.  Their conversation picked up again once Brittany was settled into bed. 

“Chadwick, let’s give each other a question tonight.  You ask me something personal and I have to answer it and then I ask you something personal.”

“That’s a good idea.  I already know what I want to ask you.”  

Brittany didn’t like the sound of it, but she didn’t have any skeletons in her closet.  So, she wasn’t too afraid of what he might ask.  “Okay. You go first then.” 

“Are you a virgin?”  Chadwick asked. 

Brittany was caught off guard.  She assumed he already knew based on some comments he had made.  So, why was he asking?

“Yes, I am.” 

“Why?” Technically this made two questions, but Chadwick needed an answer.  It was no accident that she was still a virgin.  There was some deeper reason.  He had to know what it was. 

“When we found out momma was dying, we promised her that we wouldn’t have sex until we were married.”

“Has it been hard to keep that promise?”

“Not until I met you,” Brittany said quietly.  

Chadwick’s heart was pounding.  He knew Brittany wanted him, but to hear her say it was like an aphrodisiac.  It was a good thing he was in Atlanta, almost two thousand miles away from her.  

“Now it’s my turn.” The silence was making Brittany uncomfortable. “I want to know why you’re still single at thirty-five.  Have you ever been engaged before?”