Playing For Keeps (9 page)

“What's wrong?” Cilla managed to ask, already knowing the answer before he spoke the words.

He took one deep breath after another to steady his nerves and slow the intense beating of his heart. He focused on the stare she was giving him, sultry heat seeping from her gaze. He struggled for a brief moment, searching for the right words to convey what he was feeling.

“I want to make love to you,” he said finally. He was emphatic, his tone conveying the intensity of his desire as he repeated himself. “I want to make love to you. I
need
to make love to you but it's so much more than that. You are—” He suddenly hesitated, the words catching deep in his chest. “You mean more to me than I can begin to tell you.” He took another breath and held it before going on. “We need to stop. If we don't slow things down right now, I'm going to take you right there on that couch and you deserve better than that from me. When I make love to you the first time it'll be on silk sheets, in a five-star hotel after I've wined and dined you and told you over and over again how beautiful you are. There will be flowers and chocolates and I will make it the most incredible night you will ever have.” He heaved a deep sigh.

Cilla took her own deep breath. A slow smile crept across her face, her eyes shimmering as they misted lightly with tears. She nodded her head slowly. “I imagine, Malcolm, that no matter where we make love the first time, and every time thereafter, it will be incredible.”

He extended his hand toward her, pulling her onto her feet. He eased her into his arms and held her tightly. As Cilla wrapped her own arms around his waist he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. The scent of coconut and jasmine coated the thick strands. He kissed her a second time and tightened the grip he had around her torso. They stood together for some time trading easy caresses.

“I should be heading home,” she said softly.

He nodded. “I can drive you if you want. We can come pick up your car after our morning coffee tomorrow.”

She giggled softly. “If you drive me home, you and I both know what's going to happen and I don't have silk sheets on my bed.”

Malcolm chuckled softly. “We might need to do something about that,” he said, with a hint of humor in his tone.

Amusement danced across Cilla's face. If only he knew, she thought. Buying silk sheets was the first thing she planned to purchase when she made it home to her computer and her favorite online shopping spot.

Chapter Seven

“So you were a booty call without being called? Explain to me how that works, please?”

Cilla shook her head. “I was not a booty call!”

“When you show up at a man's place in the middle of the night hoping you're going to get some that makes you a booty call.”

“I would have been a booty call if he had called and had asked me to come over specifically to give him some. But he didn't even know I was coming.”

Bianca's eyes skirted toward the ceiling in her home. “And you still didn't get yourself any.”

“Girlfriend, please, you don't know what I did or did not get.”

“Oh, I know. I know if you're talking to me and not in bed with him that your dry spell is still dry as hell.”

Cilla laughed. “I'm not having this conversation with you, Bianca.”

“Don't. I know I'm not missing out on anything because you don't have anything to tell me.”

“I do have something to tell you. I think.” She paused, shifting the cell phone from one ear to the other. “I think I'm falling in love with this man.”

Bianca groaned loudly. “Say it ain't so!”

Cilla could feel her grin pulling so wide that her cheeks actually hurt. She took a deep breath and shook her head. “I do, Bianca. I've never met anyone like him. He's respectful and kind and generous and he cares about me. He cares about me and he's not afraid to show it.”

Her friend was shaking her head as if Cilla could actually see her through the receiver. “Take my advice, love is very overrated.”

“This coming from the woman who swears by love. Aren't you the same woman who was head over heels in love with a man she'd known for how long? Less than a week? Don't I recall something about a Christmas kiss sealing the deal?”

“I fell in love with the
idea
of falling in love. I'm really not that serious about it.”

Cilla laughed. “You're a liar! I know for a fact that Ethan has your nose wide open!”

Bianca grinned. “Maybe. But our situation is unique.”

“Be honest with me? Do you think I'm crazy? I mean we're still just getting to know each other. And Malcolm might actually be really bad in bed.”

“You and I both know that's a lie! Your man is sexy as hell. I can tell by the way he walks and how he moves on the dance floor that he is not bad in bed. In fact, I'm willing to bet that man has professional skills between the sheets.”

“You don't know that.”

“You might not be able to tell the pros from the amateurs but I surely can. I'm a master at detecting things like that,” Bianca said, laughter ringing in her voice.

Cilla giggled with her. “You are such a fool!” she said teasingly.

“That may very well be, but I'm not the one questioning my relationship with a really great guy. I let everyone know what a great guy my Ethan is.”

“Malcolm is a really great guy, too, isn't he?”

Bianca blew a warm breath. “Girl, he's the guy fairy tales are made of. You aren't going to do much better so don't mess it up. I know how you do.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“It means if you mess up, there are women who will gladly take your place. If I didn't already have a man you might get your feelings hurt.”

“You'd do that to me? You'd break the sister code and date one of my ex-boyfriends?”

“Girl, good men are an endangered species. And I'm talking the kind of good man you want to take home to your daddy. The kind of good man Pops would want to see you married to and who would play golf with him once a week because they have so much in common. If you let a precious commodity like that go, then you better believe someone else will be there to pick him up. Who better than your best friend in the whole wide world? I'd want a good thing like that for you! No one is going to think about a code when there's gold to be had and men like my Ethan and your Malcolm are pure gold!” Bianca laughed heartily.

Cilla laughed with her as she changed the subject. “So what are you doing today?”

“Church first and then I'll probably head over to the flea market. I want to try and find myself a vintage mirror for my foyer. Do you want to come?”

Cilla paused for a brief moment. Malcolm had already forewarned her that he would be out of pocket the entire day, having plans with his daughters. Despite her wishful thinking she didn't even anticipate talking to him until later in the evening. “Yeah,” she said. “And I'll even go to church with you too.”

“Lord, have mercy, there must be a storm coming!” Bianca exclaimed.

Cilla laughed. “Don't even go there. You act like I never go to church.”

“Oh, I know you go. Once last century and now. It's a wonder the sky hasn't started to fall.”

She giggled again. “I am not that bad, Bianca!”

“You're not that good, either.”

“At least I don't have a host of sins I need to confess every Sunday morning.”

“I might have one or two but then I have a much more interesting life than you do.”

“Says the woman whose last date was how long ago?”

“A very minor detail and only because my man is away on business.”

“Pick me up,” Cilla quipped. “I'll be ready.”

“See you in a few,” Bianca said as she disconnected the call.

 

 

Malcolm's head swung back and forth like he was watching a tennis match. He found himself thoroughly entertained as the twins shared a story about something that had happened in math class. Math was the only class the two high school freshman shared at Ravenscroft School. The two had moved him to tears with their jokes and tales about high school life. As Claudia hit her punch line the two girls laughed simultaneously and he laughed with them.

“Okay, okay, okay!” Malcolm exclaimed as he swiped a tear with his index finger. “That's just too much! You two sound like you're playing in school more than you're learning.”

“We're learning,” Cleo giggled.

“I got a ninety-eight on my last exam,” Claudia chuckled.

“I did okay,” Cleo quipped, her smile fading a smidgen.

Malcolm smiled as he looked from one to the other. “Well, I'm very proud of you both. When I went to parent-teacher conference everyone had good things to say about you and how you were performing. You know good grades make me very happy.”

Cleo cut an eye at her sister. Claudia gestured with her head, her eyes wide. “Well, I didn't do so good on my English project,” Cleo muttered.

Malcolm shifted his gaze toward the young girl. “What's that mean?”

The two girls exchanged a second look before Cleo replied.

“I didn't finish so I got an F and I failed my science test but Mr. Barnes said that I can retake it next week.”

Malcolm leaned back in his seat. He folded his hands together in his lap. His brow furrowed as he took a deep breath. His eyes dropped to his breakfast plate for a quick second before he shifted his gaze toward Claudia.

“Sweetheart, would you do me a favor, please?”

The young woman gave him a smile. “Sure, Daddy!”

“Would you please get me some more bacon and another omelet before they close down the omelet bar?”

Claudia nodded. “Cheese and vegetables,” she asked.

“Extra cheese,” Malcolm responded, his smile returning to his face.

Claudia grinned back, her head bobbing up and down as she skipped away. Malcolm watched as his daughter crossed the carpeted floor of the restaurant. They were catching the tail end of the breakfast buffet at Golden Corral, one of the girls' favorite places. Despite his mother's protests they'd been allowed to plan the entire day. Both had opted to bypass Sunday school and church for the all-you-can-eat meal.

He turned back to Cleo who was eyeing him curiously. “I'm worried about you, kiddo. Something's going on and I don't know what it is. Do you want to talk?”

Cleo's eyes shifted around the room as she struggled to avoid her father's stare. “There's nothing wrong,” she mumbled softly. “Everything's fine.”

Malcolm nodded. “I don't agree. You've been moody and now you're telling me that your grades have dropped. Something's going on with you.”

Cleo shrugged her narrow shoulders. “There's nothing wrong,” she snapped, a hint of attitude rising in her tone. She cut her eye at him then dropped her gaze back to the table.

There was a moment of pause as Malcolm sat staring at her. Cleo was the younger twin, born three minutes after her sister. Cleo had actually been born the following day at 12:01 in the morning, giving them separate birth dates. That fact always fascinated both girls, being able to celebrate the dates of their birth on different days. He remembered the exact moment his girls had pushed their way into his life. The minute the nurse had laid Claudia in his arms he'd fallen head over heels in love. In that moment he couldn't imagine himself loving anyone else as much and then they had handed him Cleo to hold. His heart hadn't been the same since.

He'd been petrified at the prospect of parenthood but his children had made him a better man. They'd become his lifeline, the heartbeat that kept him whole and standing and ultimately sober. He loved them both like he had loved nothing else before them or since.

Malcolm pushed himself up from the table and moved to the seat beside his daughter. He dropped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her to him, hugging her against his chest. He held her for a moment before he spoke. “Don't you ever forget that you can always talk to me about anything. Even if it's something that might upset me, I will still be here to support you. If you need my help don't you ever be afraid to say so. Okay?”

She nodded her head against her father's chest.

“Now, we're not done with this conversation because I think there's something you want to tell me but you just don't know how. So you and I are going to talk again after you've had some time to think things over. Until then, you just remember that I love you, baby girl!”

Cleo reached up to kiss her father's cheek. “I love you, too, Daddy!”

“I love you and you!” Claudia said, returning with her father's omelet and bacon and a second plate piled high with fruit and chocolate-covered strawberries.

“How much do you love your old man?” Malcolm teased as he reached for one of her strawberries.

Claudia laughed. “I love you to infinity.”

“I love you to infinity times two,” Cleo said.

“Well, I love you to infinity times two plus infinity!” Claudia retorted.

He gave them both a dramatic eye roll. “Well, I love you both so much that after we eat I'm taking you both to the flea market!”

Both girls clapped excitedly. “Can we buy something?” Cleo asked.

Malcolm smiled as he pulled a forkful of food to his mouth. “You can buy two somethings!”

 

 

The weather was absolutely perfect for the Raleigh flea market at the historic state fairgrounds. The sun was bright and peeking high from behind a bevy of cushiony clouds. There was just enough breeze in the air to keep the rising heat at bay. A pleasant crowd of tourists and shoppers packed the aisles inside and out and the assorted items for sale ran the gamut from baseball cards to chocolate fudge.

Malcolm raced behind both girls as they jumped from one booth to another, oohing over knockoff jewelry, sun catchers, gauze tops, and all things shiny and pretty that caught their eye. In a matter of minutes he saw his promised two somethings manifest into a host of bags that he was expected to carry. He laughed as he marveled at their capacity to find a need for almost everything they laid their eyes on.

“But Daddy!” Claudia exclaimed excitedly.

“But Daddy nothing. I am not an ATM machine, baby girl, nor do I have a money tree growing in the backyard.”

“But we can't go home without something for Grandma. Her feelings will be hurt,” Cleo reasoned.

Malcolm rolled his eyes skyward. “Well, if it's for your grandmother why do I need to buy two of them?”

“Because we need one for Grandma Maxine when she comes to visit,” Claudia insisted.

“They're really pretty, too,” Cleo noted. She ran her hand across the polished wood.

Claudia had spied the rocking chairs first, both girls skipping off to inspect them. Made from salvaged hardwood, the rockers had a classic curved headboard and slat back, with pretty spindle-turned arms and base supports. Each had deep seats and were polished to a high sheen. His mother had been wanting one for the front porch since forever. He was impressed that the girls had even remembered.

With the saleswoman extolling their quality and uniqueness and both girls batting their lengthy eyelashes at him, Malcolm found himself outnumbered, feeling as if his credit card had been talked right out of his pocket. He smiled at the delight in the twins' eyes as both claimed a rocker, sliding their lean frames into them.

“You two have cost me a fortune today,” he said as he slid the purchase receipt into his pocket.

“No, we haven't,” Claudia said as she rocked her torso back and forth to move the chair.

“After the movie you can say we cost you a fortune,” Cleo teased.

Malcolm feigned a look of surprise, his eyes wide and his mouth open. “The movies? I have to take you to the movies, too?”

The girls giggled. “You said whatever we wanted!” they exclaimed at the same time.

The joy across their faces made the man smile. In that moment they had him completely wrapped around their little fingers. He was grateful that neither knew just how much.