You're the One (20 page)

Missy bounced
on the spot.

“He caught me
off-guard,” Del told her. “Next time I flip him the bird.” She
remembered the tap on her bum. “From a distance. Like with the shop
door locked between us.”

~*~

Mozart was
especially clingy the next evening, grasping Moz’s pants leg as he
tried to talk to Elissa.

“He’s missing
you,” she said.

“And probably
bored being in the house all day alone.” Moz picked Mozart up,
smiling a little when the cat rubbed his head against his chain and
started purring.

“I guess he’s
alone most of the day and then again at night.” Elissa scratched
behind Mozart’s ears. “But he’s safe, okay? That’s the main
thing.”

“I know.” Moz
rubbed his chin against Mozart’s head. “I’m trying to find a place,
boy. Soon, I hope. Then at least you can be with me at night like
we used to be.”

“That’s a
little disturbing.” Simon leaned a shoulder against the kitchen
doorway while munching on a slice of cake. “You do know that,
right?”

Moz squinted
down at him. “It’s not as disturbing as watching you eat all that
shit. How you don’t explode is beyond me.”

“What?” Simon
was indignant. “I’ve only had a slice of cake.”

“And a
sandwich and several scones.” Elissa rolled her eyes. “Says he
can’t last until dinner time.”

“I’ve worked
hard all day saving lives.”

“Scott says
you spent all day polishing the fire engine, checking tanks and
pumping weights.”

“See? Keeping
myself in tip-top condition.” He leered. “All for you. Want to test
drive me?”

“Please.” Moz
winced. “My sister, remember?”

Grinning
hugely, Simon took a big bite of cake.

“He does it to
stir you up,” Elissa informed Moz. “Why do you keep falling for
it?”

“I know, trust
me, but just the mention of you and him doing…” Moz shuddered.

“Don’t know
what you’re shuddering for,” Simon drawled. “You were out at Del’s
last night and left really late. Like,
really
late.”

That had his
sister looking at him curiously. “You were?”

Moz rubbed
behind Mozart’s ears. “Yep.”

“What were you
doing there?”

Yeah, like he
was going to tell his sister what he’d
really
been doing.
“Visiting.”

“You’re
visiting Del? What for?”

“Yeah,” Simon
chimed in, “what for?”

Uh-oh. One
glance at him showed Moz that speculative gleam in his eyes. His
easy-going brother-in-law had a canny side that always caught
people by surprise.

Still, he had
nothing to hide, so he replied evenly, “Arranging a date.”

That had
Elissa’s mouth dropping open and Simon’s eyebrows rising.

Took a lot to
surprise Simon, and Moz was glad he’d succeeded. A small, childish
victory, but one nevertheless. He glanced at the clock on the wall.
“Which reminds me, I have to pick her up soon.”

“You’re going
to pick her up?” Elissa followed him to the bedroom.

“Yep.” He
placed Mozart on the bed, immediately feeling guilty when the cat
meowed and pushed his head against Moz’s hand. “C’mon, old fella, I
have to go.”

“He’s fine.”
Elissa gave Mozart an abstracted pat, her attention focussed on her
brother. “Since when do you and Del date?”

“Since we
agreed.” He gave Mozart another stroke, trying to settle him
down.

Man, he really
had to get his own place. At least Mozart would have the run of the
house day and night, and Moz’s things would be around. It’d make
Mozart happier, more content.

It took him
several more minutes before he could finally leave Mozart, gently
closing the door on his anxious face, Mozart’s sad meow making him
frown.

“Mozart’s
really all right.” Simon was still leaning against the doorway. “I
go in and read for awhile and he sits on my lap. Mind you, he
doesn’t grab me the way he does you.”

“About this
date,” Elissa persisted, “I don’t get it. When did you two become
close enough to even contemplate dating?”

No way on
God’s green earth was Moz going to fill in
those
details.
“We got to chatting, found some similarities.”

“Similarities?” She eyed him dubiously. “You and Del?”

“She has a
kitten, I have a cat.”

“That’s the
similarity?”

“She lives
alone, I’m happy alone.”

“You won’t be
alone if you’re with her,” Simon pointed out. “Isn’t that kind of
defeating the purpose?”

“Nope.”

Simon’s eyes
gleamed. “Just doesn’t seem right.”

“That’s what I
thought when I first saw you with my sister, and yet look where you
are now. Married. Life is full of surprises.” He peered at Simon.
“Not all of them pleasant.”

“Aw, you love
me. You just don’t want to admit it.”

Moz
grunted.

“I love you
like a brother.”

“No, you fear
me. You love my cooking.”

“I don’t fear
you, man. Your sister would be upset if you hit me, and you don’t
want to upset your sister. Hence you won’t hit me so I don’t fear
you.”

In a twisted
way that was true. “Lucky you have my sister to hide behind.”

“You don’t
want to know what I do behind your sister.” Reaching out, Simon
snagged Elissa around the waist and hauled her back up against him
while grinning wickedly at Moz.

“Simon!” She
smacked his hand but Moz noticed she made no move to pull away.

In fact, she
giggled. Jesus, his sister giggled. She’d never giggled until she
met this redheaded fireman. He made her giggle, made her happy, and
for that Moz liked him. Yep, life was full of surprises.

“You say one
more word and my sister will be a widow.” Moz made for the
doorway.

“Hang on.”
Elissa started forward. “About Del-”

“Sweetheart,
your brother has a hot date with a blondie. Leave him alone.”

Sometimes
Simon had a good heart.

“You can drill
Del tomorrow for details.”

And sometimes
Simon was an arsehole.

Grinning, Moz
walked out, leaving Elissa calling out behind him, only to hear her
yell turn into a squeal, another giggle and then silence that told
a whole lot.

Gah, his
sister was in there swapping spit with the firie. So wrong.

Shaking his
head, Moz got into the car, starting the engine. Looking up, his
gaze caught on the bedroom window to see Mozart sitting there
watching him and meowing, his paw trying to scratch a way through
the glass. He really had to find a place of his own. He couldn’t
leave Mozart there much longer. He might have to take Julia Preston
up on her offer and have Mozart at the boarding house in his room.
But then he wouldn’t have the run of the house for several hours a
day like he did at Simon and Elissa’s when Arthur was outside.

Feeling a
little at a loss, Moz pulled out of the driveway and onto the
road.

At the
boarding house he greeted Julia cheerfully before heading for his
room. A quick shower, a dodging of the simpering married woman who
eyed him hungrily as he exited the bathroom with his towel over his
arm, a quick dress in slacks and a button-up shirt and he was ready
to go.

Rolling up his
sleeves, he checked his wallet for cash and card, and sighed at the
sight of the condom tucked optimistically in the little pocket. No
using that condom tonight, or tomorrow night, or basically until
Del was ready. Hopefully she’d be ready before his palms got hairy.
That was never a good look. All he had to do was remember how she’d
felt around him, all hot and tight and wet, how hotly she’d looked
up at him, how sweet she’d tasted and he was ready for action.
Unfortunately, that meant a hand job if he got too carried away
with memories.

Holy cow, had
it only been last night and he was already thinking like this? He
really was a sad sap.

Leaving the
room, he stopped to squat down and pat Oscar, Julia’s big, grey,
green-eyed cat. Sprawled out on the hall runner, Oscar took the pat
as his due, purring and looking up at him out of eyes slitted in
pleasure.

Julia appeared
in the dining room doorway, apron tied around her waist, pleasant
face happy to see him. “Sure you don’t want me to put some dinner
aside for you, dear?”

“Thanks, but
no. Like I said, I’m having dinner at the pub tonight.”

“You have a
lovely time. Got your keys?”

“Yes,
ma’am.”

“I’ll leave
the front light on for you.”

He pushed to
his feet. “No need, I’ll be fine.”

She tsked.
“Now don’t be silly. I just want to make sure you get home
safely.”

Man, Julia
Preston was one mother hen. He’d seen her be like this with several
of the guests. Not all, but certain ones. Apparently he came under
that heading, because she had set out to mother him from the day
he’d first set foot in her boarding house.

“Now when are
you going to be bringing your cat here, son?” she asked
earnestly.

“I’m kind of
thinking about it, Mrs Preston.” He resisted tacking on ‘Mum’ to
the end of the reply.

“Call me
Julia, dear,” she said automatically. “Now you know he’s welcome to
stay in your room.”

“Thanks.” He
glanced at his watch. “I better go.”

She strode up
to him, placing her hand on his back as she moved beside him to the
front door. “Now you drive carefully. Don’t drink too much, all
right? You have too much, you get a taxi home.”

Wow, his own
mother had never worried about him as much as Scott’s mother did.
“I don’t drink much anyway, Julia, so it’s all good.”

“Good boy.”
She actually stood on the veranda, the tea towel in her hands as
she watched him go down the steps and stride across to where his
car was parked on the side.

He couldn’t
help but smile when she waved him off. In the rear view mirror he
saw her go back inside the boarding house. Man, Scott was one lucky
bloke to have a mother like Julia.

His own mother
was as cold as a fish and as uncaring as a rock of salt.

Didn’t matter
now, he was here, Elissa was happy, he had some friends and a job
he liked. And now he had a date with a cute little blonde.

Yep, life had
some real great surprises.

Getting out of
the car in Del’s driveway, he saw her come out the door, turning to
lock it securely. Moving to the other side of the car, he opened
the passenger door and leaned on it, watching her come down the
steps.

Pretty as a
picture. Blonde hair in a high ponytail, pale blue, sleeveless
shift dress, white sandals with a medium heel and a small bag slung
over her shoulder by a thin strap. Wristwatch as usual on her
wrist, no other jewellery. As she came closer, he noticed that her
lips were pinker with lipstick. Those long, thick eyelashes didn’t
need emphasizing. The only other thing she wore was a light perfume
that tantalised his senses.

Del stopped on
the other side of the door, one fine eyebrow arching up. “Aren’t
you being the gentleman.”

“You think you
should be opening the door for me?”

“No, I’m just
taking it all in.”

“I always open
a door for the ladies.”

“Dee says I’m
no lady.”

“Are there
certain places you’re not a lady?” His mind was already conjuring
up fantasies.

“Maybe we
should just eat,” she said dryly.

His gaze swept
over her. “Eating is a great idea.”

“Food. Eating
food
.”

Leaning over
the door, he dropped a kiss on her lips. Mmm, those lips were soft
and warm, silky and plump. Even better, those lips moved
seductively against his in turn.

Lifting his
head, he saw the faint pink blush in her cheeks. “Hi.”

“Hi
yourself.”

He smiled.
“Hungry?”

“You bet. I’m
so hungry I could eat a horse.”

Nope, no false
pretences with Del.

“Though maybe
that’s not the best thing to say to the local RSPCA inspector,” she
added.

Stepping back,
he made room for her to pass him. “I’ll forgive you just this once.
See you don’t do it again.”

“What if I
do?”

“Try me and
see.”
Please, try me and see
.

She paused in
the act of sliding into the seat, studied his face and shook her
head. “Not the wisest idea right now, I’m thinking.”

“Really? I’m
disappointed.” She had no idea how much.

Grinning, Del
placed her feet inside and reached for the seatbelt. “I’m sure
you’ll bear up under the stress of it.”

To be
truthful, he’d wondered if she’d feel awkward in his presence after
last night, but Del chatted pleasantly, seemingly perfectly at ease
beside him. Was it because he was willing to wait? Did she trust
him that much? He glanced sideways at her. It was true she really
didn’t know him that well. Well, she kind of knew him in a very
lusty, earthy way, but apart from that, no.

Maybe she
trusted him because of her friendship with his sister. Or maybe she
was just a good judge of character. Or again, maybe she was good at
hiding her thoughts.

That was a lot
of maybes. He just had to figure out which one it was. Or here was
a maybe for him - maybe he should stop wondering and just enjoy the
evening.

“Penny for
your thoughts.”

Interrupted
from his silent musings, Moz cast her a surprised glance.
“Pardon?”

“You’re doing
a lot of thinking there, Moz.” Partially turned in the seat, she
regarded him. “Is there a problem?”

“No problem.
Why?”

“I get the
feeling there’s a whole lot going on inside your head.”

“Just
thinking.” Spotting the pub ahead, he pulled into one of the angled
parking bays in front of it.

“Okay.”

The way she
spoke caught his attention. The pleasantness was gone from her
face, the faintest of frowns replacing it. Crap, he wanted to see
her smile, not frown.