Devious (12 page)

“Where’s
Mr. Milton?” he asked.

“In
his and Granny’s room,” I whispered.  “I suppose he just wants some time
alone.”  I knew it was late, and I wondered if Stone needed to be getting
home.  “You probably need to go.”  I pushed myself into an upright position.

“I’m
not leaving you, Dara.”  His hand firmly grasped my waist, and he tightened his
grip as if he were proving his point.

“I’ll
be okay.”

“I’m
not leaving.”  His voice was forceful, and I was relieved to know that I
wouldn’t have to face the night alone.

“Can
I get you anything?  A drink or something to eat?” he asked me.

“There’s
some bottled water in the refrigerator,” I said.  “I am a little thirsty.”

He
helped me to my feet, and I followed him into the kitchen and waited while he
grabbed two bottled waters.  We went to my bedroom, and he twisted the top off
of one and handed it to me as I sat on the edge of the bed. 

“I’ll
be right back,” he told me.  “I’m going to check on Mr. Milton.”

I
nodded, and he turned and left the room.

When
he came back a few minutes later, I asked, “Is he okay?”

“No,
he’s not, but I took him a drink.  I think he’s going to try to sleep now.  I
told him that I’d take care of you and that he could let me know if he needed
anything.”

“That
was very sweet of you.  Thank you.” 

“Are
you tired?” he asked, taking my hand in his.

“I
am, but I don’t know if I can go to sleep.”

“Why
don’t you get ready for bed?  We can talk if you want.”

I
nodded.  I grabbed an oversized tee shirt and went to the bathroom to change
and to brush my teeth.”

When
I returned, Stone had turned down the covers.  The overhead light had been
turned off, and a small lamp radiated soft light into the room.  The sheet
pooled around Stone’s waist as he leaned against the headboard, exposing his
bare chest and abs.  His muscles rippled into action when he patted the bed
beside him, waiting for me to climb in.

His
neatly-folded jeans rested on my dresser.

“Don’t
worry.  I have on my boxers.”

I
felt the heat rise to my cheeks when he answered my unspoken question.

“I’m
not here to try anything, Dara.  I just want to hold you.  I want to be here
for you.”

He
settled into the mattress, and I climbed in beside him as he wrapped his arm
around my shoulders.  My hand rested on the warm skin of his stomach, his
muscles firm beneath my fingertips.

When
he kissed my forehead and wrapped both arms around me protectively, I lost it. 
Hot tears seeped beneath my eyelids, and I clung to his torso in an attempt to
calm the tempest that raged inside of me.  He rested his chin on the top of my
head and stroked my back.

“I
feel like my life is falling apart,” I whispered.  “Now that Granny’s gone, I
have no one.”

“You
have me,” he countered, turning on his side to face me.  He bent down and
kissed away my tears.  “And your mother.”

“I
may never see her again.”

“And
if you don’t, then you still have me.  Dara, you’ll never be alone.  I’m not
going anywhere.”  He kissed me gently again as his palm slid up my thigh,
pushing my tee shirt higher, and came to rest on my hip.

“I
wish I could believe that, but….”

His
lips silenced my words as he kissed me, his tongue demanding entrance.  When he
finally pulled back, he said, “You
can
believe that.  No one is better
for you than I am.”

“And
what makes you say that?” I asked, annoyed that he picked now to show his
conceit.

“Because
no one is better for me than you, Dara.  We belong together.”

“Saying
it is one thing.  Showing it is something different.”

He
caught my chin in his hand and forced me to look in his eyes, the lamplight
casting shadows on his face.  “I’m sorry about Tiffany.  It was a mistake, and
it’ll never happen again.  I never claimed to be perfect, but I do claim to
love you and only you.  Now either you forgive me or you don’t, but I won’t
talk about it again.

“No
one will ever love you more than I do right now,” he whispered.

The
way he looked at me sent shivers down my spine, and one glance at his face told
me that he meant it.  Somehow, it seemed like Stone always knew what I needed,
and right now, I needed to be loved.

I
think he was a little shocked when I shifted in bed and crawled over him until
I straddled his hips.  I bent low and brushed my lips against his as my hair
shielded us like a curtain.  I didn’t think that I had ever loved him more than
I did at this minute.  To know that he loved me soothed a little bit of the
pain that ached in my chest.  Nothing could bring Granny back, but knowing that
I had someone who would be there for me made everything a little less scary.

I
pushed myself into a sitting position, and his thumbs skimmed the tender flesh
along my inner thighs.  I pulled my shirt over my head and tossed it to the
side.  His gaze scorched my flesh, and his hands rose to my ribs, reaching ever
higher.

I
squirmed as every brush of his fingertips made me want more, and soon, I knew
he desired me as much as I did him.

“Make
love to me, Stone,” I whispered. 

He
remained silent as his fingertips skimmed my flesh.  Finally, he spoke, “You’re
not ready.”

“I
am,” I countered.

“I
won’t do it like this, Dara.  You’re hurt and scared and lonely.  You’ve had a
difficult day, and I won’t allow you to do something that you’ll regret.”

“But
I need you, Stone,” I pleaded, a sob catching in my throat.

“And
you have me.  Come here, baby, and let me hold you.  There’s plenty of time for
other things later.”

He
guided me down to the bed beside him and pulled my back against his chest, his
arm lying over me protectively, his fingers tucked between the mattress and the
edge of my ribs. 

“You
need to rest,” he whispered, his breath tickling my ear.

My
eyelids grew heavy as I listened to his breathing.  And just before they
fluttered shut, I whispered, “I forgive you, Stone.”

I
thought I felt his hand tighten his hold on me and his lips brush against my
hair, but I couldn’t be sure because sleep claimed me.

Chapter
11

Stone

I
woke at the crack of dawn with Dara’s butt snuggled against me.  I groaned
softly, being careful not to wake her.  She looked so peaceful in her slumber,
her lips softly parted, her rhythmic breathing making her chest rise and fall. 
I knew that it was only a mirage, that when she awoke, her peace would be gone
and reality would crash into her consciousness.  I also knew that she was going
to have a hell of a hard time dealing with her grandmother’s death.  Granny had
been everything to Dara for most of her life.

Her
vulnerability last night had been devastating to watch.  As much as I wanted
Dara, I knew that she was in a horrible place mentally and her judgment had
been swayed by her need to feel that she wasn’t alone in the world.

I
desperately hoped that her whispered words of forgiveness wouldn’t dissipate in
the light of day.  I needed this girl who slumbered beside me, and I’d do
anything to get her back.

I
stroked her silken tresses, needing to touch her, reveling in the fact that she
was really here.  I had missed her insanely during the last week, and I had to
admit that as much as I hated Granny’s passing, I was touched that when Dara
had needed someone, she had called me.  Watching her sleep, I realized that I
wanted it to be this way forever.  I wanted to wake up every morning to her
sweet smile.  I wanted her to depend on me.  I wanted her to love me.

A
year ago, I couldn’t have imagined feeling this way about someone.  It was funny
how it just took that one person to come into my life and change every single
facet of it.  I had never had a problem getting girls, but I was smart enough
to know that I would never get another Dara.

I
lay still listening to her even breathing, thinking about all the things that
I’d done in my life and all the things that I wanted to do.  Dara and I were
about to graduate from high school, about to enter a new phase of life, and no
matter what our lives held, I wanted her to be a part of mine.

And
to be able to give Dara the best of everything, I needed to do well in college,
find a good job, and be the man that she needed me to be. 

I
closed my eyes and covered them with my forearm.  What was happening to me?  I
was going from acting like a sixteen-year-old, hormone-driven adolescent to a
thirty-year-old, agenda-following…my father.  I was turning into my father.  I
groaned.

Dara
stirred beside me.  “What’s wrong?” she whispered sleepily.

“Nothing,
baby.  Go back to sleep,” I whispered as I smoothed her hair away from her
face.

She
sat straight up in bed, clinging to the sheet wrapped around her.  “Stone!”

I
could tell she was disoriented from sleep, and I waited for it.  I knew it was
coming.

“Oh,”
she whispered.  “Oh, Granny.”

“Come
here, baby,” I whispered, urging her to lie back down, so that I could tuck her
back into my arms.  Her chin quivered, and the silent tears streamed down her
face.

“I’m
not ready to let her go,” she whispered, her small hands clinging to me
tightly.

“I
know,” I said, sliding my hand beneath the sheet to touch the soft, warm skin
of her back.  I hugged her to me as she cried, my heart twisting at the sound
of her sobs.

When
she finally calmed, I kissed her temple.  “I won’t let you go through this
alone.  I’ll be right with you, Dara.  I promise.”

She
nodded her head, sniffling.

“Why
don’t you get dressed while I go make us some breakfast?”

She
nodded again, and I kissed her one last time before I slid out of bed and
pulled on my jeans and tee shirt.

I
walked barefoot into the kitchen and looked in the fridge.  I pulled out some
bacon and a carton of eggs.  I quietly hunted through the cabinets until I
found the skillets, and I fried up the package of bacon, scrambled some eggs,
and toasted some bread.

Dara
walked into the kitchen and sat down at the table.  She tucked a strand of
golden hair behind her ear, and I hated the sadness in her eyes.  I fixed her a
plate and set it down in front of her, and then I poured her a glass of milk.

“Go
ahead and eat.  I’ll check on Mr. Milton,” I said.

I
knocked on his bedroom door, but he didn’t answer.  I finally found him rocking
on the front porch.

“I
fixed some breakfast if you want something to eat,” I offered.

He
looked at me with a sad smile.  “You kids go ahead and eat,” he said.  “I’ll be
along in a little while.”

“Are
you okay?” I asked.

“As
well as can be expected,” he answered, rocking back in the chair.  “I’ll be
fine.  Just watch after Dara.  That would mean a lot to Helen.”

I
nodded and watched him a moment more before I quietly went back into the house
and joined Dara in the kitchen.

I
found her pushing eggs around her plate with a fork. 

“You
need to eat,” I said softly, as I fixed a plate and a drink for myself and sat
down in the chair beside her. 

“I’m
not hungry.”

“I
know, but the next few days are going to be difficult.  You need to keep your
strength up.”

She
took a bite of the scrambled eggs, and I felt like I’d won a small victory.

As
I ate my breakfast, I kept tabs on how much she was eating.  While she wouldn’t
be joining the Clean Plate Club anytime soon, she’d eaten enough to keep me
from worrying.  I couldn’t keep my own mind from replaying the days after
Luke’s death.  I was well aware of the emotional stress Dara was about to
endure, and I didn’t want her physical wellbeing to suffer, too.

“Mr.
Milton and I have to go to the funeral home today to make arrangements,” she
said, her voice flat and lifeless.

“Do
you want me to go with you?” I asked.

“No,
that’s okay.”

I
took our plates to the sink and unloaded the clean dishes out of the
dishwasher.  I loaded the dirty dishes and left the remaining food on the table
for Mr. Milton.

Dara
remained in the kitchen chair, and I cupped her chin, forcing her to look me in
the eyes.  “Are you okay?”

“Yeah. 
I guess so,” she whispered.

“Do
you need anything?”

“No,
not right now.”

My
fingers stroked her jawline.  “I’m here for you, Dara.”

“I
know,” she whispered.  Her bottom lip quivered, and she bit it to hold it
steady.

I
stooped on my haunches beside her, bringing my face to the same level as hers. 
“I love you, Dara.”

“I
know,” she whispered, covering my hand with her own.  “I love you, too, Stone.”

I
kissed her chastely on the lips.  “Do you promise to let me know if you need
anything?  Even if it’s just to talk?”

She
nodded.  “I promise.”

“I’m
going to go home and shower, and I’ll meet back up with you after y’all go to
the funeral home…unless you want me to stay.”

“No,
I’m okay.  I need to get ready, too.” 

Her
hand dropped to her lap, and I kissed her on the forehead.  “I’ll call you in a
little while.  If you need to talk to me sooner, then call me, okay?”

She
nodded her head.

I
hated to leave Dara, but I knew she could probably benefit from some time alone
to sort through things.  I also needed to somehow let her mother know what was
going on.  Now, more than ever, Dara needed her mother.  Maybe if I could get
her mother to talk to her, Dara wouldn’t feel so alone.  Of course, the flip
side of that was that if she did have her mother, then maybe she wouldn’t need
me.  I pushed the selfish thought out of my head and wondered how I could let
Dara’s mother know what was going on without having to make the three to four
hour trip.  I wanted to stay in town in case Dara needed me.

When
I arrived home, I immediately jumped into the shower, my mind working furiously
to determine all the things that I needed to accomplish.

After
talking to Ms. Golding at the hospital, I knew she had no money and no phone. 
How could I get her to talk to Dara?

After
I had gotten ready, I called the hospital and asked for the waiting room. 
Three rings later, a woman answered, but when I asked for Yvonne Golding, she
said there was no one in there with that name.

Frustrated,
I hung up the phone and wondered what to do next. 

A
knock sounded on my bedroom door.  “Stone?”

“Come
in, Mom.”

“Where
were you last night?” she demanded, her voice tinged with anger. 

“Dara’s
grandmother died yesterday.  I was with Dara.”

My
mother gasped.  “What happened?”

I
recapped all the details. 

“That’s
terrible, but you should’ve called me and told me what was going on.  I was
worried sick.”  The creases in her forehead reinforced her words.

“I’m
sorry, Mom.  It was late, and I figured you were asleep.”

I
watched her face, knowing that she was doing the same thing that I had done,
replaying scenes of Luke’s funeral in her mind. 

“Is
there anything I can do?” she asked.

“Not
really.”

“I’ll
make them a chicken casserole, and you can take it over there for supper.”

“That’ll
be good.  I’ve got some things to do today, but I’ll come back and get it in a
little while.”

“Okay,”
she agreed as I followed her out of my bedroom.

I
grabbed my keys and headed to the garage.  After tugging on my helmet, I raced
down the driveway and hit the highway toward the local shopping center.  When I
arrived, I went into a small shop that sold cell phones.  I had been struggling
with how best to help Dara’s mother, and I finally decided that I needed to
pick up a cell phone for her.  I purchased a prepaid phone, along with some
minutes, which would allow Ms. Golding to call Dara.

After
loading the minutes and entering Dara’s cell phone number, as well as my own, I
slid the phone in my pocket.  I swung my leg over my bike, started the engine,
and twisted the throttle.  I had been deliberating whether I should ride to
Oakley and take Ms. Golding the phone.  Granny’s death had devastated Dara, and
I wondered if hearing from her mother might help improve her current emotional
state.

But
what if Dara needed me?  It would take me no less than seven hours to ride to
Oakley and back, and that was if I rode like the hounds of hell were chasing
me.  It would be early evening before I could make it back to Quail Mountain,
and Mom was going to make Dara and Mr. Milton dinner. 

Killing
the engine, I decided to call Dara and feel her out.  If she was going to be
tied up most of the day, I just might be able to make it work.

She
answered on the first ring.  “Hello.”

“Hey,
Dara.”

“Hey.”

“Have
y’all left for the funeral home yet?”

“No. 
Mr. Milton’s checking on some things at the store.  He said it’ll probably be
an hour or two.”

“How’re
you holding up?  You okay?”

“I
guess so.  I’m fixin’ to make some phone calls.  I need to let Granny’s sister
know, and I dread it.  It’s gonna tear her apart.  And I need to write my
father a letter to let him know what happened.  Not that I expect to hear
anything back from him.”

“Do
you need me to come there while you do it?” I asked, concerned how it would
affect her.

“That’s
okay.  I can handle it.”

“Well,
I’ll see you this evening then.  My mom’s making a casserole, and I’ll bring it
over for supper.”

“That’s
sweet of her.  Tell her thank you.”

“I
will.”

“I’ll
see you when you get here.”

“Bye,
babe.”

I
hung up, started the engine, and barreled through the parking lot.  I just
hoped that I had no trouble finding Ms. Golding when I got to Oakley.

By
the time I pulled into the hospital parking lot, my butt was numb and my hands
felt like they were vibrating.  I’d made good time.  Now all I had to do was
see how fast I could find Dara’s mother.

When
I reached the same waiting room that I’d found her in yesterday, I pushed the
door open and glanced around the room, searching for her.  She was in the same
spot I’d left her in, her eyes closed, her chest rising and falling as if she
were sound asleep. 

I
took a seat two chairs down from her.  “Ms. Golding?”

She
didn’t stir, so I called to her a little louder this time.  “Ms. Golding?”

The
woman must really be tired.  I gently touched her arm, and her eyelids
fluttered open.  “Stone?”  She looked around the room.  “Is Dara with you?”