The Weekenders (42 page)

She'd known this would happen, from the moment she'd asked to buy him a drink back on the beach. Maybe even before that.

Her kiss was tentative at first, and tender.

Riley felt his lips curve beneath hers, into a smile, and then he was holding her face between both hands and the kisses became deeper and more insistent. She slid backward onto the sofa, pulling him down with her, and they were lying sideways, facing each other, the space between them disappearing, the old fears and distrust dissolving.

She ran her hands up under the back of his T-shirt, craving the feel of his warm skin beneath her splayed fingertips. His shoulder muscles knotted at her touch. She slid her hands around to his chest, felt his rib cage, brushed one nipple with her thumb. He inhaled sharply, and she felt him smiling again.

Nate nibbled at her earlobe and found the hollow in her throat. She inched his shirt upward, letting the palms of her hands rest lightly against his erect nipples.

He kissed her deeply, his tongue teasing hers, while his hands found her breasts, gently pushing them upward until they spilled from the deep V neckline of her dress. His lips found one nipple, kissed it, teased it, nipped at it, and she rolled onto her back to allow equal time for the other nipple.

Riley let her hand slide down his abdomen until it was resting squarely on the crotch of his jeans. His response was immediate. He reached for the hem of her dress. It was still damp and sandy from where she'd stood in the waves, a lifetime ago, watching the moon spill silver onto the night.

Nate tugged the dress upward, past her hips. He stopped suddenly, propping his head on one hand, gazing down at her. There was that smile again.

“You keep doing that,” Riley said.

“I smile when I'm having a good time,” he said, trailing a fingertip down her chest, toying with her nipple again. “Don't you?”

“Maybe, but I can't remember when I've had as good a time as this,” she said truthfully, kissing him again, rolling his T-shirt up, then pulling it over his shoulders as he very helpfully raised his arms to allow her to remove it entirely.

She gazed down at his sun-browned chest, at the golden and silver curls of hair, and then at the dark line of hair that extended below his navel, toward his groin. Her fingertips followed the trail, pausing at the metal snap of his jeans.

“And we're just getting started,” Nate promised. He reached behind her neck and expertly untied the halter top with one hand. He'd always been good with knots. A moment later, he yanked the dress over her head, tossing it to the floor. Riley curved herself into him, yearning to feel the warmth of him pressed tight to the entire length of her body. Moments later, he'd done away with her panties, his knee parted her bare legs, and his hand was sliding down and into her, and when she moaned very softly she could feel his smile grow wider, matching hers, because she was having a very, very good time.

Riley cupped her hands on Nate's butt, drawing him closer, feeling the bite of the metal snap over his swollen fly digging into the sensitive flesh of her belly. She reached around and managed, with both hands, to unfasten the snap and slide the metal zipper slowly downward. She tugged at his waistband, hooking her thumbs into the fabric of his briefs and jeans, rolling them down over his narrow hips past his erection and then to his knees, before using her toes to push them around his ankles.

Nate stood, kicked off the rest of his clothes, and pulled Riley to her feet. He placed a hand on either side of her face, resting his forehead against hers. “Do you have any idea how long I've wanted this?” he asked.

“No,” Riley whispered, kissing him lightly. “How long?”

“Since the first time I saw you prancing around in that one-piece bathing suit of yours, on the beach, with your friends. You were all dancing around, trying to copy the girls in that Robert Palmer video.”

She buried her head in his chest. “‘Simply Irresistible?'” Oh, my God! You saw that? I was such a klutz. I would have died if I'd known somebody saw us.”

“Nobody saw you but me,” Nate said. “But if I'd known what was under that bathing suit of yours…” He ran his hands slowly down her back, grinding his hips into hers. “I've always wanted you, Riley. Always.”

“I was just a stupid, naïve girl the first time we were together,” Riley said. “I didn't want you then, or maybe I did, but I was too dumb to realize it. But I do now. I've wanted you for a while, but I just didn't know it until now. Right now.” She kissed him and felt the heat and need within her building to a fever pitch.

“You're sure?” he asked. “No second thoughts?”

“I'm sure.” Riley looked up at him, suddenly shy, through lowered eyelashes. “I think I'm ready to smile again.”

 

50

Nate rolled onto his side and draped an arm over Riley's side, caressing her breast. He pressed his lips to her ear. “You finally had your way with me, after all these years. Was it worth the wait?”

His beard tickled her cheek, and she could feel his erection pressing into her side. She slid just out of his reach and turned to face him. “The question is, was I worth your wait?”

He cast his eyes downward. “You can't tell?”

“I don't know if I'll ever stop smiling,” Riley said.

“Then don't,” Nate said, closing the space between them, running his hand down her flank. He started to slide his leg between her legs. “I bet I can find a way to keep us both smiling. All night long. Tomorrow, too.”

“I can't stay,” she said. “You know that. It must be after midnight now.”

“So? Do you have a curfew?”

“Mama will be wondering where I am.”

“You're forty-two years old, Riley. Tell her you met a charming man on the beach, took him home, and seduced him.”

“Who seduced who?” she said playfully.

“You kissed me first,” Nate pointed out. “I was just being polite.”

She yawned widely. “I certainly do love your good manners.” She sat up in the bed, clutching the sheet to her chest and glancing around the darkened room.

“I wonder what happened to my clothes?”

“You don't need no stinkin' clothes,” Nate growled, dropping kisses on her shoulders. “You're gorgeous just like this.”

“That's very nice,” Riley said demurely. “But it might turn some heads if I ride home naked in your golf cart. Just think what Belle Isle Barbie would have to say about that! The coconut telegraph would be working overtime.”

“Who cares?” Nate reached over and turned on the lamp on the nightstand.

“I do. I have a twelve-year-old daughter, remember?” Riley clapped her hands over her mouth. “Oh my God! Maggy! I completely forgot about her.”

“You forgot you have a kid?” Nate walked into the living room and returned with her dress and panties.

“No! She was spending the night at her friend Annabelle's house. I left messages for the mother, but she never called me back.”

“So?”

“So I've never met this woman. Her name is Chantelle. I needed to explain to her about Maggy's insulin, and her exchanges…”

“Why can't Maggy tell her?” he asked.

“She could, but who knows if she will? Oh my God. I am the worst mother ever!”

Riley grabbed her clothes and began dressing. “My phone! I don't even know where my phone is. What if she tried to call? What if Maggy was sick.…”

Nate walked calmly into the living room. Through the open bedroom door she saw him pull on his discarded jeans and walk out the front door, barefoot.

A moment later she heard the screen door slam and he was back, handing her the phone. “It was in the cup holder in the cart.”

Riley took the phone and examined it. “No text messages. I guess that's a good sign. But there's one missed call and a voice message. I don't recognize the number, but it looks like a Durham area code.”

Riley tapped the message and turned on the speaker.

The caller was a woman, with a slight Southern accent.
“Hi. This is Chantelle Roberts. Sorry we've missed each other. I just wanted to let you know the girls finally settled down and went to bed. Maggy checked her blood sugar and everything's fine. I'll have her call you in the morning. Thanks so much for letting her spend the night. I think they've had a real good time.”

“Thank God,” Riley said, exhaling loudly. “If something had happened tonight while I was here…” She shuddered. “I would never forgive myself.”

“But nothing did happen,” Nate pointed out. “What does Maggy do about her diabetes when you're not around? Like, when she's at school?”

“She knows how to test her blood and she gives herself insulin. But this is different.”

“How?”

“At school her teachers know about her diabetes and they know what to do if she's in trouble. There's a trained nurse in the school clinic.…”

“And there was a responsible adult parent tonight at her friend's house,” Nate said. “And nothing bad happened.”

“But it could have,” Riley insisted. “I'm sorry, Nate, but you've never had kids, especially a sick kid. You wouldn't understand.”

“Okay, okay,” Nate said. He moved behind Riley and knotted the tie of her halter dress, stopping to nuzzle her neck again.

“I'll take you home, dressed, if you insist. But what about tomorrow night? Can we do this again?”

She turned and put her arms around his neck. “That would be lovely, but let me see what's going on at home. Okay? I'm supposed to go to a cookout at Parrish's house.”

Nate kissed her deeply and sighed. “After? Before? Doesn't matter to me. I just want to be with you.”

“We'll see,” Riley promised. She walked into the living room to look for her shoes and spotted her half-empty wineglass and full plate of food.

“You never did feed me last night,” she said accusingly.

“No, I did something a lot better for you,” he said.

“Way better,” she agreed.

 

51

Maggy burst into the kitchen door at eleven Sunday morning, her eyes shining with excitement. “Mom! I had the best time ever at Annabelle's last night.”

“Who's Annabelle?” asked Scott. He'd arrived thirty minutes earlier with his brunch contribution, a batch of blueberry scones fresh from the oven, but no Billy.

“My new best friend,” Maggy said, sitting down at the table across from her grandmother and beside her great-aunt Roo. “She lives in Durham, so after school starts back, we can probably hang out on weekends and stuff.”

“I'm glad,” Riley said, handing her daughter a plate. “Did you eat this morning?”

“Yes, Mom,” Maggy said, rolling her eyes. “And I tested my blood, and I took my insulin. Can I just have some strawberries?”

“Help yourself,” Riley said. “Can I ask what you did at Annabelle's that was so fabulous?”

“Chantelle let us order takeout pizza. Two different kinds.”

Mimi set her bone-china coffee cup down on its saucer. “Young lady, does Annabelle's mother have a proper name?”

“I don't know, Mimi. Everybody just calls her Chantelle. Even Annabelle. And Chantelle said I should call her that.”

“What is this Annabelle's father's last name?” Evelyn asked.

Riley tried to signal to her mother to abandon this line of questioning, but Evelyn Nolan was not someone to be deterred.

“I don't think Annabelle has a father,” Maggy said. “But Chantelle's girlfriend's name is Micki. Spelled with an
i
. She's cool too, but she had to work this weekend.”

“Girlfriend?” Evelyn said, frowning.

“Domestic partner,” Maggy said. “You know, like Bebo and Uncle Scotty.”

Scott turned his head and discreetly spat a mouthful of French-press coffee into his linen napkin.

“Ohhh,” Roo said. “You mean this Chantelle is a lesbian. I didn't know there were any lesbians on Belle Isle.”

Scott coughed violently, and Riley could see his back heaving with suppressed laughter. She passed him a glass of water and he took a sip, shooting her a grateful look.

“Do you know those girls, Scott?” Evelyn asked.

“Um, no, Evvy,” he said politely. “Actually not every gay person in Carolina knows every other gay person.”

“Hmm,” Evelyn said.

“Where is Bebo this morning, Uncle Scott?” Maggy asked. “We're supposed to have our first doubles match at noon.”

Scott cut his eyes at Riley. “He's got a bit of a headache this morning, Mags. But I'll make sure he gets there in plenty of time.”

“Ohhh.” Maggy nodded knowingly. “A hangover. From the party last night, right?”

“How was the party, Riley?” Evelyn asked, skillfully changing the subject.

“It was nice,” Riley said. “I've never seen such a beautiful moon. It looked like it would drop into the ocean it was so huge and low over the water.”

“You must have had a good time. I didn't hear you come in until after midnight,” Evelyn said.

“Was it that late? I guess I lost track of the time,” she said. She felt her phone buzz in the pocket of her shorts, signaling an incoming text message.

She jumped up and ducked into the butler's pantry.

The text was from Nate.

Dinner tonight?

I'll get back to you,
she typed.

After Maggy had gone upstairs to change for her tennis match, Riley started clearing the brunch dishes.

“Um, Mama, don't count on me for dinner tonight,” she said. “Parrish and Ed want me to come over before the fireworks, and I said I would because she's upset that David and his girlfriend had to cancel their trip.”

“Just tell them to come over here,” Evelyn said. “You know I always plan for extras for Sunday supper.”