The Red-Hot Cajun (19 page)

She just nodded, staring fixedly at his mouth, which was full and parted and oh so tempting. “Kiss me,”

she murmured, surprising not just him, but herself.

“I want to make love with you sooo bad, but
I want our first time together to be memorable, not against a car in a tavern parking lot. If I kiss you, I won’t be able to stop.”

Valerie sighed. This man was potent with a capital P. But something he said niggled at her brain. “It wouldn’t be our first time.”

She could swear his face got red then, though the lighting was dim at this end of the lot.

“I have a little itty bitty confession to make,” he said.

Her suspicious nature went on red alert. She didn’t have to be an expert in studying people to know something was up.

“Actually, it
will
be our first time. You see, that other time, we didn’t really do anything.” He launched into a bumbling convoluted explanation dealing with premature ejaculations, lifelong embarrassment, and pink vomit. Finally, understanding seeped into her brain.

She slapped him on the arm, the second time that night. When did violence come so easy to her?

When Rene LeDeux re-entered her life, that’s when. “You lied to me.”

“Did not,” he asserted. “I just failed to tell you that little itty bitty detail.”

“You louse! I’ll give you itty bitty.” She began pounding his chest. “All these years you let me believe—”

“No, no, no!” He pulled her into a tight bear hug so that her arms were restrained. “I only found out a few days ago when you disclosed that you had no memory of that night.”

“And you failed to tell me then... why?”

“I was embarrassed, and whew! What a relief to find out that you were never aware of my lack of finesse. But now you know.”

“Let me go,” she said against his chest.

“Are you going to hit me again?”

She hesitated. “No.”

When he released her, she said, “I despise dishonesty.”

“I wasn’t dishonest... precisely.”

“Don’t play games with me, Rene.”

“I’m sorry. My only excuse... well, it’s a guy thing.”

She folded her arms over her chest, exasperated. “You were only fifteen years old.”

“Yeah, and believe you me, it was a big deal at the time. Having the rocket go off before all engines are firing is not a feat a guy wants to claim.”

She had to smile.

“Every day I went to school I expected to hear that you had finally told everyone of my failure.”

“And every day I went to school expecting to hear that you had bragged about your conquest and my failure. Girls aren’t supposed to vomit the first time, I don’t think.”

“We’re even then?” he asked hopefully.

“Not even close,” she said.

“You’re gonna make me pay, aren’t you?”

“In spades. I have to go now.”

“I had big plans for tonight.”

“I could tell.”

“Will you hit me if I try to kiss you good night?”

“You said you wouldn’t be able to stop if you kissed me.”

“I’ve cooled down since then.”

Ihaven’t.

He moved in closer and arranged her arms around his neck. Then he moved in even closer, pressing against her lower belly.

“I thought you said you cooled off.”

“That’s cool for me,” he said with a short laugh. “I should forewarn you, I am an expert kisser.”

Iknow.
“If you don’t mind saying so yourself?”

“The best kisses are carefully arranged. For example, all other body parts should be perfectly aligned.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

He lifted her slightly by the butt so she was on tiptoe and rode the cleft of her jeans, just right.

Somehow, her legs had become spread and he was between them—surprise surprise—just right.

“Oh,” she said, answering her own question.

While her tush half-sat against the car door and her arms were still loosely looped around his neck, he put both of his hands on her breasts and used his thumbs to bring the nipples to hard peaks. Realizing that she wore no bra, he made a low guttural sound, then slipped his hands under the hem and up till he caressed the naked flesh.

Every part of Valerie’s body throbbed then. Her lips ached for his kiss; her breasts ached for rougher treatment from his hands; her female parts ached for all of his hard length pressed against her.

“Oh, baby,” he said against her mouth as he finally took her in a kiss that was at once tender and devouring. His tongue stroked her mouth, in and out, simulating the sexual rhythm taking place below. Her tongue did the same to his mouth. It was hard to tell who was kissing whom, where he ended and she began. She felt her body coiling with tension and knew
she had to stop before it went too far. Jerking her mouth away from his, she gasped, “No, Rene. I don’t want to come like this. Not again.”

Still holding her, he arched his neck back, eyes closed, and inhaled and exhaled deeply, fighting for control. Finally he released her and stepped back. He was deeply aroused, she could tell without looking down. His eyes were half-lidded. His lower lip drooped in a sultry fashion. He wanted her as much as she wanted him.

“Your wish is my command, princess,” he said, finally. With regret he turned to go, brushing his fingertips across her swollen mouth. At the last second, he turned and looked her in the eyes and said, “Come back when you can,
chère.
Wild horses won’t be able to stop me then. Next time we will make magic, I guar-an-tee.”

That night, Valerie had dreams of magic.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Giving a new meaning to “Give me a buzz, baby”

Rene called Val at four-thirty that morning.

It was a really stupid thing to do. He’d played another set with his band after Val left. He’d sat around chewing the fat with his family for another hour after that. He’d gone back to Remy’s houseboat where he’d tried to read a book. And all that time he kept thinking about Val. Maybe she’d been right when she’d wondered if a spell had been put on them.

And now, pathetic soul that he’d become, he was risking a Simone Breaux rage by calling her home in the middle of the night. Luckily Val picked up on the second ring.

“Hello,” she said sleepily.

“Hi.”

“Rene”?”

“Uh-huh.”

“What time is it?”

“Four-thirty. What time do you have to get up?”

“Five.”

“See how thoughtful I am. Your very own wake-up call.”

He heard soft laughter at the other end and a rustling noise. She was probably sitting up in bed.

He leaned over to turn out the bedside lamp; somehow it seemed more intimate talking to her in the dark. “Are you going to come back, Val?”

“You already asked me that.”

Does the word
pathetic
ring a bell?
“I wasn’t satisfied with your answer.”

“I can’t make promises. There are so many extenuating circumstances that may affect my decision.”

“You sound like a lawyer.”

“That’s what I am.”

“We have unfinished business, babe.”
Like, two years and counting.

She hesitated before saying, “I know. But sometimes it’s best to leave certain things unfinished.”

“Bullshit! I want you to come back. If you want to, you can come back. It’s as simple as that.”

“I’ll try.”

He decided that was a good enough concession for now. Time to pull in the heavy-duty ammunition.

“What are you wearing?”
Yeah, what does someone who’s been celibate for two years wear? A
chastity belt?

Soft laughter again. He loved her soft laughter.

“Are we going to have phone sex?” she inquired innocently.

God bless innocent women!
“Was that an invitation?”
It couldn’t possibly be.

Silence.

 
Holy shit!
He’d only been kidding, but she must be interested. Otherwise she would have told him that he was a crude ass, or something similar.
Whooee! I am
better than I thought. Amazing!
“Val?” he prodded for an answer.

“I’ve never had phone sex before,” she said.

“Neither have I,” he lied, “but I’m game if you are. Besides, we’ve already had near-sex. How different could it be?”
Game? Hah! More like chomping at the bit. Honey, I want to end that two-year
vigil soooo bad.

“I don’t know about this....”

No, no, no. You are not going to back out now. You don’t toss a hungry dog a bone, then say, “Oops, give it back .” And I am definitely a hungry dog.
“What are you wearing?”

“A nightgown.”

“Take it off, darlin’.”

“Why?”

Questions, questions, question! Why do women always have to question everything?
‘Take the damn thing off, Val.”

There was a short silence, after which she said, “I did it.”

Oh my God! Babe, you would not believe the images I have right now. Triple X-rated!
“How does it feel?”

“Wicked.”

“Wicked is good.”

She chuckled and said, “Now you. What are you wearing?”

“Jockey shorts.”

“Take them off.”

“Say that again.”

“Why?”

Aaarrgh! Another question!
“Because it turns me on, dammit. Stop asking why.”

“Why are you getting irritated?”

“I’m not getting irritated. I’m impatient.”
Actually, I’m so excited.. . overexcited. Slow down,
cowboy.

“Rene’?”

“Yeah.”

“Take them off. Please.”

He smiled to himself. After a moment or two, he said, “I did it.”

“Liar. You did not.”

Oops!
“How do you know that?”

“I’m a jury analyst. I study people... their appearance, their gestures, their
voices.
I could tell by the tone of your voice.”

Man, oh, man! I better be careful.
“I did it now,” he told her after shrugging out of his underwear.

“Do you want to go first, or should I?”

“Are you kidding? I wouldn’t know where or how to start.”

Ido.
“I’m touching your face,” he said, “running my fingertips over your lips. Remember how it felt when we kissed earlier?”

“Remember? I’ll never forget. You were right. You
are
a good kisser.”

Icannot believe Valerie “Ice” Breaux just told me I am a good kisser.
He smiled. “I can remember your taste.”

She laughed. “What? Diet Coke? Or breath mint?”

“Neither. You have your own distinct taste. It’s sexy.”

“That’s good, Rene.
You
are good.”

That’s what I keep telling you.
‘Thank you, ma’am. Your turn.”

“I’m lying here naked in my bed, imagining you are here, too. You aren’t touching me—”

“Why not? If I was there, I would definitely be touching you.”
And proving why you should end
your two-year saga.

“T
sk-tsk! This is my fantasy, Rene. Where was I? Oh, yeah, we are both naked in my bed. Not touching. But you are looking at me. And you know what? You make me feel attractive when you look at me, even when I have clothes on.”

“Of course, you’re attractive.”

“That’s not what I mean. When you look at me, I feel desirable, womanly.”

“Okaaay.”
Okaaay!

“So, you’re looking at me, head to toe, slowly. And it turns me on.”

“It turns me on that I can turn you on.”
And that’s the God’s honest truth.

“What next?”

“Well, sweetie, it just depends on how daring you are.”

Turns out she was very daring. Turns out he was, too. By the time her alarm clock went off a half-hour later, they were both depleted and splayed out flat on their backs on their respective beds.

After they said their soft good-byes, Rene clicked off his phone and smiled into the dark.
She’ll be
back .