North Star (6 page)

The door swung open and there stood Roland Walker, in a polo shirt and dress pants. A wide smile filled his lips as he looked from Caresse to Graham.

“My goodness,” he said, rubbing his gray head. Then he yelled over his shoulder, “Jan, tonight just got real interesting. Guess who’s coming to dinner?” Amazement plastered on his face like a silly grin, but Graham squared his shoulders and motioned Caresse inside.

Behind them, a heavy rain began to pour from the sky.

Chapter 4

Roland welcomed his guests inside his home as a rush of pint-sized relatives greeted Graham. “Uncle Graham! Uncle Graham,” four young boys yelled as they raced into the foyer. Graham felt his face split into a smile as he lifted the youngest to his shoulders and hugged the others to his side.

“Hold on there, guys. Where’s your Ma?”

“I’ll get her.” The oldest laughed and ran out of the room.

As soon as the child disappeared behind the swinging kitchen door Janet appeared, wiping her wet hands on her apron. “Graham, I’m glad you made it.” She kissed his cheek and took the umbrella. “Were the roads okay?”

“Yes, but it’s starting to come down now. We made it in time,” Graham replied as he placed his hand on Caresse’s back to move her toward the group. “Everyone,” he announced. “This is Caresse Aldana.”

His family extended warm greetings to her. “Caresse, this is my oldest sister, Janet Sheridan Walker, and her husband, Roland. And the mini welcoming committee, from nine to four, are Matthew, Mark, Luke, and Little John.”

“Oh, like the apostles,” Caresse said as she coaxed the littlest one from Graham’s shoulders and into her arms. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“You, too.” Little John laughed as he played with her gold pendant. “You smell like flowers.

Caresse rubbed John’s curly hair. “Oh. Do you like flowers?”

“No, but they smell okay.”

The boys muffled snickers as Caresse thanked the four-year old. Caresse noticed how Graham watched her as his nephew giggled in her arms. Something in his gaze felt familiar, but she couldn’t place her finger on it.

“Let’s finish this conversation over dinner,” Roland said as he motioned the group into the dining room. “I’m hungry.”

“Me, too. Sit by me, Ms. Caresse,” Mark said, taking her hand.

“No, by me,” Little John pleaded, holding onto her neck tightly.

Caresse patted the young boy on the back. “I’ll tell you what, since I came here with your uncle, I really should sit by him. But I promise to share one of my grandfather’s fishing stories at dinner. How about that?”

The boys yelled with delight and raced to their assigned seats.

Graham leaned over to Caresse and said, “You have some effect on the men around here.”

Caresse smiled as she lowered Little John to the floor. “Are you referring to all men, or a particular one?”

Graham seemed to emanate a playful invitation with his eyes as he inched closer to answer. Suddenly his brother-in-law interrupted by stepping between them and linked his arms in theirs. Roland beamed his biggest Damon Wayans-like smile as he showed them to their seats.

The table was beautifully set with china, silver, and linen napkins, and the tasteful flower centerpiece, along with the sounds of Najee floating from the living room, caused Caresse to wonder if tonight was a special occasion or if Janet and Roland always indulged Graham with such elaborate treatment.

“Everything is so beautiful, Mrs. Walker,” Caresse said as she fingered the Waterford water goblet.

“Thank you, Caresse.” Janet beamed. “But please call me Janet or Jan, whichever you prefer.”

“For weeks, Janet prowled around this house making sure everything was perfect because we haven’t had Graham over for dinner in the two years we lived here,” Roland said as he helped Luke cut his asparagus.

Graham said, “I prefer to take the family out when I stop by.”

“True. Last week, my sweetie finally made him pick a date so she could cook for him. Everything had to be right. She was a Sheridan, after all.” Roland raised his glass and nodded in his wife’s direction. “Sharon Sheridan’s daughter to be exact, and she’s living up to her mother’s type of style and flare, right guys?”

The men and boys at the table agreed heartily as each stuffed their mouth with food.

Sharon placed her hand over her heart and mouthed thank you as she re-filled Graham’s wine glass. “Caresse, my mother was one of the finest hosts in Freehold, New Jersey. She had a way of making simple dinners seem like events and making elaborate parties seem like extravagant productions.”

“Was?” Caresse stopped.

“She died of a stroke a few years ago.”

“You’re paying wonderful tribute to her tonight, Jan.” Roland inclined his head toward his wife.

Several minutes passed in companionable silence. Caresse glanced around the table and watched as everyone ate, talked, and laughed. The boys were taking their time eating, instead of rushing back to their Sony Playstation. She wondered if all of their family gatherings were this much fun.

“What did your grandpa do with an ugly flying fish?” Luke asked, after listening to her grandfather’s fishing tale.

“He was about to toss the hideous thing back in the Peace River when an old beggar approached him and his brother. The poor man had a warm face, but his clothes were tattered and dusty from Florida’s sandy soil. He seemed to be hungrier than they were, so they let him have it.”

“Wow. And the guy ate that ugly thing?” Matthew asked excitedly.

“From what my grandfather said, the beggar told them the next day that the fish made for some mighty fine eating,” Caresse concluded at the story’s end.

Roland made a sour face. “The idea of casting a fishing line and having a fish fly out of the water in retaliation isn’t my idea of a culinary delight.”

“We don’t have to worry about Jan fishing or hunting for our dinner. She just buys it and cooks it,” Graham said before he took a hardy bite of roast beef. “She’s a first-rate cook in my book.”

“Thank you. I’m glad you’re enjoying it.” She rested her chin on her laced her fingers and peered over at her little brother. “So, how did you two meet?” Janet started her interrogation.

Roland exhaled loudly, rolled his eyes, and leaned back in his chair.

“We ran into each other at the library. I was there helping Jaiden look up some information,” Graham answered before taking a quick gulp of wine.

“And I was photocopying some items I needed.” Caresse captured Graham’s eyes with hers before Janet continued. There was something in his eyes that made her pulse quicken. He urged her to go on. “I guess we met over the photocopy machine.”

“And how long have you two been dating?” Janet leaned forward.

“We haven’t had a chance to date, per se. We’re still in the getting to know you stage.” She turned to Graham and winked at him. “So how did the two of you meet and marry? You have a beautiful family,” Caresse asked, when she noticed Roland reaching for more beef.

The question caused Roland to glance quickly to the clock, then toward his wife, then back at Graham and Caresse. His brow creased.

Graham leaned back in his seat and happily mouthed, “Yup, no Yankees for you.”

From that moment forward, Janet took over the rest of the dinner conversation. Graham was delighted his sister had a chance to relive her courtship with Roland, while her husband looked as uneasy as a virgin in a brothel.

By the time Janet served the lemon-meringue pie, the storm was full force over the township. Soon the lights flickered, then all of the electricity in the neighborhood went out, effectively putting an end to the dinner conversation.

“Everyone, relax. I’ll get the flashlights and the battery-powered radio.” Roland groaned wearily. “Jan, you better light the candles.”

“We’re lucky power cut off after dinner,” Little John said in the darkness. “I couldn’t find my mouth.”

Everyone laughed, to the four-year-old’s delight.

After Janet and Caresse placed the boys in their beds and read them a chapter on the life of Muhammad Ali, Caresse searched for Graham. She found him in the living room on the loveseat going through her folder on the Mason Center. Since the air-conditioner was no longer working, Graham removed his jacket and tie, then unbuttoned a few buttons on his shirt. “Please make yourself at home, Caresse. It’s starting to get warm, but this is the coolest place in the house.”

“I’m fine. We can go over the data I brought on the center.” Caresse moved closer to him to review the list of volunteers in his hands.

“In one minute,” he said, closing the folder. “Why didn’t you correct Janet when she asked about us dating?”

“If I stated we weren’t dating, your family would play matchmaker all night. I was rescuing you.”

“Really?” He locked eyes with her, then slowly lowered his glance over her body. The intensity of his gaze made her shudder. When he began to finger the fabric of her jacket, a new and unexpected warmth surged through her. “You should remove this.”

She nodded, and he assisted her by slowly sliding it off her shoulders. He let out a low moan and inhaled deeply as his fingers gentle caressed her arms. The way he made such a simple act seem intimate made her lightheaded. Was he as turned on as she?

She leaned closer to Graham and stared into his striking coal eyes, smoldering with fire.
What was he waiting for?
“You’re right,” she murmured. “I feel better but...”

“Yes,” he breathed as his lips neared hers.

“What is going on between us?”

“Only what you want to happen. What do you need, Caresse?”

She inhaled and swallowed hard at his words. She wanted him. The evidence was clear, and she suspected every bit of him wanted her.

Another delightful shiver of wanting ran through her as he searched her gray eyes and tilted her face up to his own. Then he lowered his head and moved his mouth over hers, devouring its softness. His kiss was urgent and exploratory as she began to respond. His cinnamon-flavored tongue darted into her needy mouth for a few seconds before Caresse ended the kiss abruptly.

“Graham,” she breathed, full of shock and amazement. She found herself filled with guilt for enjoying her kiss with a stranger.

“Don’t pull away,” he whispered.

“We’ve just met,” she chided him.

“But my family’s under the impression we’ve known each other for a while,” he whispered, then ran a finger down the curve of her arm.

“So you’re using that to take advantage of me?”

“No. I would never do that,” he murmured as he gathered her into his arms and placed her on his lap. “I never want you to feel obligated to me.”

With the tip of one of her caramel-colored fingers, she traced the lips that had kissed her. They were coaxing and firm to the touch. She studied him and began to bite her bottom lip slightly as uneasiness stirred in her heart.

“Frightened?” Graham asked, fingering the ebony tendrils by her neck.

“Of men? Never!” Caresse said, playfully annoyed.

“Not of men.” He turned off the flashlight in his hand and took her hand in his. “Of me.”

She scanned the darkened room, lit by seven tea-light candles. Four were on the mantle of the fireplace and three were resting on the coffee table in front of them. The roaring sounds of the storm could be heard from the open window on the far side of the room.

“We need to get to the reason why we’re meeting tonight, Mr. Sheridan.”

“I told you to call me Graham. And I would prefer you answer my question.”

After a moment, she said, “No. I’m not scared of you.”

“Then why did you pull away? Are you married?”

“No.”

“Engaged?”

“No.”

“Do you have an irate boyfriend I need to be concerned about?”

“No, of course not.”

“What is it? Is it purely the principle of manners in our way?”

“Graham, I’m not sure what you’re after, but I’m not interested in a relationship,” she replied indignantly.

“Why’s that?”

“Let’s say I prefer my solitude.”

“Your kiss states otherwise.” He sounded half-convinced.

“It’s not the first time someone’s mind and body were in disagreement now, is it?”

“Who are you trying to convince, Caresse? You or me?”

Before she could answer, Graham covered her lips with his. He slowly traced her lips with his tongue as his hands caressed her back. At first, she sat there rigid, trying not to react, but he continued to kiss and tease her lips apart until all of her defenses weakened.

She offered him her open mouth, which encouraged him to kiss her with wild abandon. Before she knew it, her arms encircled his neck. For a moment, she let her senses absorb him. He felt like intensity. Unpredictable and thrilling. He tasted like wanting. Hot and passionate. And when she felt him groan into her mouth, she knew desire’s sound.

His lips were more persuasive than she cared to admit. She felt her body react instantly when he pulled her closer. Instinctively, she arched her body toward him as her tongue mated with his and her arms tightened around his neck.

“I hate to spoil your fun, kids, but we need to settle the sleeping arrangements.”

Roland’s booming voice startled Caresse. She forced herself from Graham’s embrace and felt a flush of heat rise along her cheeks. What was she thinking? Making out with some guy in his sister’s living room, where anyone could walk in at anytime?

She hastily stood up. “I can’t stay.”

“But Caresse—” Graham began.

“No, I really can’t.” She pushed his hands away and began gathering her things.

Roland stopped her as she bolted toward the door. “I’m sorry, Caresse, you have no choice. No one can leave tonight. There’s a flash flood warning in effect for this area.”

She turned back to face Graham. He was still sitting on the couch, but his hands were clasped in front of him as his forearms rested on his knees. He was watching her intently.

“Are you sure I can’t make it home? It’s only an hour away,” she pleaded.

“Sorry, part of Route Nine in the Lakewood and Howell areas were hit pretty hard. And they’re expecting the same for us. You two made it here just in time.” Roland walked her back to the loveseat. “So let’s decide where everyone will sleep, and in the morning you can go home.”

“What are the choices?” Graham asked as he crossed the room and closed the window against the pouring rain.

“You two can take the guestroom, or we can move the oldest boys in there, and you can have their bunk beds. The choice is yours.”

“Bunk beds,” Caresse said, cutting off Graham’s chance to answer. She had seen the guestroom upstairs and knew it only possessed a queen-size bed. “I would be most comfortable in the boys’ room.”

“Are you sure?” Roland asked.

Caresse followed his gaze to where Graham stood, removing her lipstick from his lips with a Kleenex.

“Yes, I’m sure. It’ll be fine.”

Graham nodded, and Roland exited the room in order to prepare the boys’ room for his brother-in-law and his guest.