Diamonds and Toads: A Modern Fairy Tale (12 page)

Delilah tried to keep her heart from
softening, but failed miserably. “I understand. You had no choice.
I would have done the same in your shoes.” She narrowed her eyes at
him. “But it doesn’t excuse you giving me
your ex-fiancée’s
ring!
And worse, you had sex with me under false pretenses. You
used me! And I gave you my
virginity
shit-lick. With a huff,
she turned her head. “I truly hate you for that.”

Hate.
The word sucker-punched him in
the gut. How do you fight that? He couldn’t breathe. He had to
admit, seen through her eyes, what he’d done was indefensible, but
he couldn’t just leave that destructive word hanging in the air
between them as if all she’d accused him of were true. “First of
all, I
made love
to you because I was on fire for you and I
literally could not stop myself. What we shared was no mere lay—it
was combustible and rare. I know you’re inexperienced about these
things, so I’m giving you a little latitude for not knowing the
difference. And God only knows, Dee, I did try to do the noble
thing by you. I did. But my desire for you was too strong.”

He watched in the rearview as her angry brow
relaxed. She was still, quiet, but he knew she’d listened, was
thinking about what he’d said and, hopefully, finding the truth in
it.

“As for the ring—I was an idiot. I—I
knew
better, but did it anyway. This is no excuse, just a
reason, but Dee, you walked into my office like an answered prayer
at the exact moment I was living my worst nightmare.”

Her back went up again. “And you went
straight for my Achilles heel. You made me—and my family, by
association—a laughingstock all over again. All my stepmother’s
society friends are no doubt salivating to tell her what you did to
me.” Her eyes glistened with unshed tears when she turned her scowl
on him once more. “She never was convinced you gave a fig about me,
and now she, I, and everyone else, knows it’s true.”

His heart wrenched. He opened his mouth to
deny her claim, but snapped it shut again. Too soon. She wasn’t
ready to believe him. Besides, they were just about to pull into
the parking garage of the hotel. Maybe, just maybe, with a little
help from his father and friends—
Fairy, you listening?—
he
could convince her for once and always that he truly loved her.

* * *

“You’re kidding, right?” Delilah said,
tugging to get her hand released from Chas’s before he could manage
to get her out of his car. “I’m not going in there dressed like
this.”

“You were out on the street in this getup, so
it can’t embarrass you that badly, and I’m running out of time.
You’re going to have to go in with me. Come on.” With a final yank,
he had her on her feet and jogged, with her an unwilling cargo
pulled behind him, directly for the elevators leading to the
ballroom.

“That was different and you know it!
This—these people—argh!”

He pushed her into the elevator and crowded
her into the corner. “This outfit is driving me crazy, by the way.”
Before she could take a breath to retort, the hungry contact of his
lips upon hers swept it away. His hand slid under the strap
covering her nipple and he stroked his thumb across it. Her womb
tightened with need and despite herself she melted into his
embrace. Evidently believing he’d dispelled her anger and distrust
with one brief sexual interlude, he said, “When I get you home, I’m
going to enjoy exploring—thoroughly—all the treasures this leather
conceals.”

What a jerk.
She shoved him away. “No
thanks, I’m busy.”

Chas’s eyes narrowed slightly as he studied
her in silence for what seemed like eons before turning and facing
the doors.

Well, what did he expect?
Oh, she knew
exactly what he expected: Her to roll over, forgive his lies, and
play the goody-two-shoes sweet little thing that she’d always been.
Actions speak louder than words, however, and his had been a ship
horn. She was not getting sucked in again by belated, and empty,
words of devotion, nor by her own sexual attraction to him.

* * *

When the elevator doors slid open, Chas
automatically put his arm around Delilah’s waist and led her out
into the outer lobby of the ballroom. He was encouraged when she
didn’t step from of his embrace. He was also proud as hell of her
when she tilted her chin up and boldly walked toward the doors
leading into the ballroom proper, ignoring the gasps, whispers
behind hands, and goggling eyes that surrounded them.

“They’re just jealous,” he murmured near her
ear.

“Hmph. Right,” she said under her breath. But
then she turned a curious gaze on him. “Aren’t you
worried
about your
precious
reputation?”

“No, not a bit. In fact…” He swung her around
and planted a hard wet one on her where they stood. When he set her
back firmly on her feet, there was actual shock in her eyes. “Holy
cow,” she said.

“I love you, Delilah.”

A flash fire ignited in her eyes. “If you say
that to me one more time, I swear, I’ll slug you right in the
kisser.”

The tight band of worry that had been
gripping his insides since she’d fled the ballroom earlier, eased
slightly. Her cold hatred was growing hot. That meant she was
thawing, didn’t it? Which had to be good for him, right? “Come on.
Let’s find my father,” he said, taking her hand and continuing
their trek to the ballroom.

He had to give her the ring. The ring was
key. It would convince her. It had to.

And if it didn’t?
No, too soon to
think about that. For now, he must stay focused.

* * *

After about the first two minutes of
bone-chilling embarrassment, Delilah actually began to find humor
in the horrified, but highly curious, looks and whispers she was
receiving due to her unorthodox outfit. And the fact that Chas was
completely unperturbed, actually more tuned in to her and how she
was reacting, than on what it was going to do to his reputation,
melted her heart a little more. She’d been trying in vain to strong
arm that block of ice back into place, but it wouldn’t budge.

She could only imagine what her stepmother
and Isadora would screech at her tomorrow once the night’s events
were spilled in detail to them, but she was through with trying to
be liked by them, trying to fit into their strict little mold.
She’d never done it and never would, because she wasn’t like them.
It was time for her to stand up and be proud of who she was: A
bright, kindhearted woman with a full figure and a penchant for the
slightly wicked.

* * *

Chas’s father’s eyes nearly bugged out of his
head as the two of them approached the table. Luckily, the few
others in their party that hadn’t left yet were on the dance floor,
so he could speak to his father in private. “Hi, Dad. Isn’t she
stunning?” he asked before planting a light kiss on Delilah’s cheek
and giving her hand a squeeze.

His father stood up. “Yes, yes.
That’s—ahem—quite an outfit.
Quite
an outfit.” He looked
around sheepishly as he pulled out a seat for her. “We can’t stay,
Dad. I just came to get what you’re holding for me.”

“Oh, yes,” he said, digging for it in the
inside jacket pocket of his tuxedo.

Chas took the ring box and hauled Delilah out
onto the balcony. The wind was cold up here, so he took his jacket
off and tucked it around her shoulders. Taking one last glance at
his watch, he said, “Okay, Delilah, this is it. We’re at the
eleventh hour of the eleventh hour.” He looked around, up into the
heavens. “Fairy, if you can hear this, here’s my choice: I choose
Delilah.”

A shadow of a laugh haunted the air around
them. “Yes, but does
she
choose
you
?”

His heart trembled in his chest. Yes, that
was
the question. He pressed Delilah into a chair and
kneeled down beside her. He opened the box and showed the ring to
her. “Delilah Perrault, will you do me the supreme honor of
becoming my wife?”

* * *

She gasped. “Chas!” Delilah understood the
significance of the ring because she knew its history, knew that it
had never left his mother’s hand until the day she gave it to him,
and knew as well that Chas would never give it to anyone unless
that person really was someone he loved and respected. What
remained of her anger—which wasn’t much—fled on gossamer wings of
forgiveness.

But there was still a pall that lay over the
gift. “Chas. What about your Dad? You can’t forsake him, you
can’t.”

The smile he gave her was tender. “I’m not,
believe me—I intend to sell a thoroughbred tomorrow, come hell or
high water. It’ll give me the cash I need. But, Dee, Dad released
me from my obligation to him in any case, earlier this evening.
Once I told him that I’d lose you if I took your money, he told me
to forget about the business—that you were more important to me
than our business, and my happiness was more important to him.”

Her heart thudded in her chest. He was so
handsome. Everything that she’d ever dreamed of having and never
thought she’d get. But all those lies so smoothly given, so easily
manipulating her beliefs.
Could
she ever trust him with her
heart again?

“Chas, I don’t know what to say….”

He squeezed her hands. “Say yes,
Delilah.”

She looked at his hands covering her own. She
gazed hard at the ring that held so much significance for Chas.
“What is your heart’s desire, Lila. Answer that, and all will be
as it should.”
The fairy’s voice was but a whisper in Delilah’s
heart, but she understood every word.

Delilah closed her eyes tight as fear warred
with hope in her breast.
What do you desire, heart?
Opening
her eyes, she looked at Chas, who awaited her response with both
anticipation and dread clear in his gaze.
I desire to love this
man and know that I am loved in return.
She looked again at the
ring.

“On my mother’s grave, Delilah,
I love
you.
”

You humiliated me. If I accept you, am I
reverting?
“When? For how long?”

He rested his forehead on her knee a second
and then lifted his gaze to her once more. “I think I was falling
for you for quite a while, but just so tied up in knots over my
financial problems, that I didn’t realize it. But I knew without a
doubt after we made love the first time.”

“Maybe it’s just sexual attraction.”

“Maybe.” Her heart plummeted. “But I don’t
think it is. I’ve been attracted to loads of women before—even been
engaged to several of them—and I can tell you that I’ve never had
the depth and breadth of feeling for any of them that I do for you.
Feelings of both tenderness and caveman possessiveness.”

That made her smile. “I wish—I wish I could
believe.”

He squeezed her hand. “You gave me your heart
and I handled it as if it meant nothing to me. I will regret that
until my dying day. But if you give me another chance—
please
give me another
chance
!—I’ll cherish it as I should have
done from the start.”

She hesitated. He looked at his watch.
“Thirty-five more seconds, Delilah. What more do you need from me?
I chose you over the money, I chose you over my reputation, I’ve
given you the most precious possession I own. What more, what
more?” He looked at his watch again. “Eighteen seconds, seventeen,
sixteen, fifteen…”

Oh, God. Could she make that leap again? But
if she didn’t where would she be?

“…seven, six…”

“
Take a chance, Delilah,”
the fairy
whispered.

“…three, two—”

“
Yes!”
Delilah flung her arms around
Chas’s neck, toppling them both to the ground. “Yes! Yes, Yes, I’ll
marry you!” She kissed him with all the love in her heart behind
it.

* * *

Purple mist swirled around their entwined
bodies.
“And they lived happily ever after,”
the fairy said
with a sigh. “
But, I’ve one more piece of business before my job
is done….”

* * *

_______________________

Once upon a time,

there were two sisters,

one cursed and one blessed

by fairy magic….

i m n hell. i h8 it here.

Isadora Perrault punched each character with
vigor into her BlackBerry. A few seconds later came the reply from
her mother:
Stay put. Look for the old hag with the purple coat.
She’s the one.

With her mother’s oft-repeated dictum
reverberating in her head to maintain the God-given social barrier
between those of their rank and the unwashed masses, Isadora
viciously tamped down her initial pang of sympathy and cringed away
from the filthy street creature with foul-smelling breath and bad
teeth that loomed much too close to her. “No,” she told him, then
scooted further down the two-foot-high marble wall she’d been
sitting on for the past hour across from the Houston Public Library
and turned her attention back to her BlackBerry and her texting.
Fine,
she replied and hit the send button.

She lifted her gaze and scanned the perimeter
for about the thousandth time.
Would the old lady
never
show up?
The so-called ‘beggar woman’ that her sister had
given assistance to last week—the one that had then mysteriously,
but most assuredly, blessed her with the ability to make loads of
money in diamond stocks—was now of keen interest to both Isadora
and her mother. “If anyone deserves to be a millionairess,” her
mother said afterward, “it is you, Isadora—not that oh-so-sweet,
goody-two-shoes half-sister of yours, Delilah.” Now Isadora was
here with the express purpose of having the old thing toss a little
magic her way as well.