You're the One (32 page)

“I’ve never
seen you with your hair loose.”

“It needs to
dry before bed.”

“Huh. Do you
want to use the hair dryer?”

“Nah, she’s
right. I draw the line at hair dryers.”

“Too girly for
you?” Amusement danced in her eyes.

“Yep.”

“Yet you have
a ponytail.”

“What’s your
point?”

Grinning, she
stroked Missy. “No point at all. None at all. Forget I said
anything.”

“If you hurt
my feelings, you have to kiss them better.”

“Sorry.”
Pursing her lips, she made kissy sounds.

“That won’t
cut it, baby. I mean real kisses.” He spooned in more stew. “After
this, of course.”

With an amused
shake of her head, Del returned her attention back to the TV.

No sooner had
he finished eating than she whisked the tray away. “You stay here,
I’ll quickly do the dishes.”

“Del, I’m not
here for you to wait on.” He started to push to his feet.

“Moz, how many
times have you cooked for me?”

“I don’t keep
count.”

“So don’t keep
count of this. Take advantage of my-for-once sweet nature and just
rest. I’ve been lazy all afternoon, you’ve been working. Now sit
back, enjoy the TV show and I’ll be back soon.”

How long had
it been since he’d actually done that? Been waited on, looked
after? It felt nice. Really nice. He could get used to it very
quickly.

Leaning back
on the sofa, he listened to the sounds drifting from the kitchen.
Mozart lay on the back of the chair, rain pattered down, all so
cosy. His eyes started to close. So tired. He’d just lie down and
rest his eyes for a few minutes while waiting for Del to
return.

When he next
opened his eyes, the room was dim, a small lamp burning. A light
blanket was covering him, Mozart happily sprawled on his chest.
Damn, the sofa was surprisingly comfortable, probably because it
was such a large, sturdy piece with soft cushions.

Lifting his
head, he glanced around sleepily. Del had obviously gone to bed.
Bugger, he’d been looking forward to spending the evening chatting
with her.

Holding on to
Mozart, he sat up and stretched, still tired. Time for bed.

Switching off
the lamp, he made his way along the dark hallway, one hand running
along the wall to count the doors between the lounge and his room.
At the door leading to Del’s room, he paused. Her breathing was
deep and even, a small sigh sounding before she again settled.

He bet she was
a warm, soft bundle when she slept. Sliding into bed and gathering
her close was a forbidden delight. For now. He wouldn’t betray her
trust by trying to talk her into anything she wasn’t ready for, but
heck, nor was he going to lie to himself. Right now the thought of
cuddling up to her back would be the perfect ending to a cosy
evening.

“Alas, Mozart,
it’s not to be,” he whispered.

Mozart’s ears
twitched but he just continued to dangle in Moz’s arm.

With a mental
shake of his head, Moz continued to his room and slid into bed.
Man, he loved this bed. Big, old, long, wide. Perfect. Rolling onto
his side, he fell asleep within minutes, Mozart happily purring
against his back.

Several days
slipped past pleasantly. They kissed, they cuddled, but Moz stopped
short of anything that would lead to sex. He was determined that
she’d initiate it. No forcing, no coercing. She’d made a decision
and he was going to respect it.

It was going
to kill him, but he’d do it. No joke, he probably would have to
shave his palms. The shower was becoming his prime hand job place
to ease himself. Being around her, watching her, kissing but going
no further, well hell, it was giving him a permanent semi-stiffy.
Work kept him busy, the on-going investigation occupying his days,
but nights spent with her so near, yet so far, were hard.

But he’d do
it. For her, for him, for them.

God, he was
dying.

~*~

God, she was
dying. Leaning against the shop counter, Del stared unseeingly at
the clothes racks.

One week. One
week and Moz had done nothing more than kiss and cuddle her. The
kisses got hot but he went no further. Cuddled her but didn’t go
for the grope. When he was near she was eyeing him off. Discreetly.
Damn, she wasn’t sure what to do. It had only been one week. She
was confused. No, she was in heat.

Plain and
simple, she wanted sex. Was it too soon? After what she’d said, was
it? Man, she needed someone to talk to, someone who would give it
to her straight down the line and keep it a secret. Someone who
understood her.

Running out
the door, she stuck her head into the newsagency. “Dee.”

Her cousin
looked up. “Yep?”

“When you shut
up shop, come over, will you?”

“Sure.”

“No Ryder. No
one else.”

“Okay.”

“This is
personal.”

“Got it.”

At a quarter
to six, Dee walked in the back door. “What’s up?”

“In here,” Del
called from the little office.

Entering, Dee
went straight to the big chair and dropped into it. “Problem?”

From her
position at the window, Del turned to look at her cousin. “Big
problem.”

“Do tell.”

“Moz is living
with me.”

“Not exactly a
news flash.”

“I mean, he’s
been in my house for a week and there’s been no…you know.”

“No, I
don’t…you know.”

This was
surprisingly difficult.

Dee studied
her face. “Would it help if I turned my back to you?”

“So I can’t
see your face? No.”

“Then I
suggest you just lay it out for me.”

“Cripes. I
didn’t think it would be this hard. It’s so much easier to give
advice to friends when it’s not me in question.”

“What if I was
on the other side of the door?”

“What if I
kick your arse?”

“That’s the
spirit. Now spit out whatever the problem is while you’ve got the
attitude up.”

“Fine. One
week, no sex.”

Dee stared at
her for several long seconds before blinking slowly. “One week, no
sex.”

A little
embarrassed, but in for a penny, in for a pound. “He hasn’t made
the move.”

“The
move.”

“Geez, do I
need to spell it out?”

“You may have
to.”

“I mean, he
hasn’t groped, touched or been improper.”

“Been
improper.”

“If you make a
crack like Molly would in your place, I’ll hit you.”

“You’re rather
violent these days. Is it because you’re not getting a regular
grease and oil change?”

“I called you
in here to help me, not make bad jokes.”

“Hey, I’m
being serious.” Dee raised her eyebrows. “You mean you and Moz
haven’t had sex yet? So what?”

“So what? Are
you kidding me?”

“Look, Del,
you wanted to wait for ‘The One’.” Dee made quotation marks. “Maybe
he isn’t ‘The One’.” More quotation marks. She paused. “Or is he
‘The One’?” A third gesture.

“Keep doing
that and you won’t be able to use those fingers for a long time to
come.”

“That’d make
Ryder cry.”

Del sighed,
slumped back against the wall. “Look, Moz and I have done the
deed.”

“I’m not
surprised.”

Del sure was.
“I beg your pardon?”

“Man’s had the
hots for you for awhile. You’ve eyeballed him. You’ve been going
out, now you’re living together.”

“Wait. We’re
not living together.”

“Oh, I’m
sorry. He’s your ‘boarder’.” More air quotes. “Lives in your house,
has had sex with you. You’d make a really popular land lady. Does
he pay extra for the sex? Or is that a special of the week?”

That did sound
funny. Some of the tension eased from Del, and she laughed. “You
dirty cow.”

“Hey, I’m just
saying.” Leaning back in the chair, Dee rested her forearms on the
armrests, her gaze keen. “What’s going on?”

“In a
nutshell, yes, he knows I wanted to wait. That was after our first
time.”

“I think that
was a bit late to inform him.”

Ignoring her,
Del continued, “And then the second time was after he got mad at
me.”

“Angry sex.
Heh heh.”

Figured. Her
cousin was married to Ryder. Her favourite hobby was to rile him up
which then led to some obviously pretty hot sex and God knew what
else. Del didn’t ask and Dee never told, but going by the sparkle
in Dee’s eyes and the satisfied grin Ryder sported often from ear
to ear, it was very bloody satisfying.

“Your weird
sex life aside, what am I going to do?”

“What do you
want to do?”

“I want sex,
damn it!” Oops, maybe a little too forceful. “Um, I want sex?”

“I’d go with
the first one,” Dee drawled.

“Huh?”

“Go up to him
and tell him you want sex.”

“Think that’d
work? Isn’t it a bit too, you know, forward?”

“Ryder likes
it.”

“Ryder’s a
freak.”

“Can’t argue
there, babe.” Dee winked then sobered. “Look, I can see where
you’re coming from. You’re attracted to Moz, he’s attracted to you,
you’re going out together. You’re both living in the same house.
Seeing each other all the time, the kissing and canoodling without
any hanky-panky is rough. To tell you the truth, I thought you two
were already going at it like demented bunnies since you got
together.”

“Really?”

“Sure. I knew
you wanted to wait for…you know.”

“The One?” Del
asked dryly.

“Yeah. So he’s
The One.”

“He is?”

“Geez, Del,
pull your head out of your arse, girl. All this time you’ve gone
out with blokes and never wanted sex with any of them. You’re
waiting for one special man, and that’s fine. Then along comes Moz
and before you know it you’ve shagged twice and want more. So maybe
he’s The One. Actually,” Dee tapped the table, “I’d say he is that
special man.”

“Oohh, I don’t
know…” Scary thought. Tantalising, too. Didn’t really sound so bad,
but wow, big leap. From sexy hot man to The One?

“Seriously?
You invite this man into your home, you want sex, and you don’t
know if he’s The One? Geez, Del, get a clue.”

“Wow, I’m so
glad you’re letting me in on this gently.”

“Gentle my
arse. I’ve seen the way you two look at each other. When you’re
around Moz doesn’t notice any other woman. Hell, he doesn’t notice
a beautiful woman even when you’re not around, because he’s so into
you that you’re all he can see. And sister, you’re exactly the
same.”

Well, it was
true, Moz was the only man Del was interested in watching. Hell,
she even sneaked peeks at him when he walked away. Man had a fine
bum.

“So what are
you worried about?” Dee queried. “You want him, he wants you,
there’s something special between you. If you want more, go for
it.”

“You make it
sound so simple.”

“It
is
simple.”

Del nibbled a
nail. “But after I basically told him I didn’t want to do anything
until we got to know each other better, to then turn around and rip
his clothes off so soon might be startling.”

“I’d suggest
you tell him first.”

“Uhhh…”

“He’s not a
bloody mind reader. He’s probably got blue balls from walking
around with a donger as stiff as a dead donkey.”

“What a
delightful image.”

Dee leaned
forward. “You called me here to talk about this and ask advice,
right?”

With a sigh,
Del nodded.

“You want
Moz?”

Another
nod.

“He wants
you.”

“Apparently.”

“The go buy a
box of condoms, bail him up at home tonight, tell him you’re ready
for sex now, then drag him off to your bedroom to have your wicked
way with him.”

Sounded good.
But what if she stuffed it up?

Dee’s face
softened. Getting up, she walked over to Del. “You know, you come
across as such a tough sheila.”

“I am tough,”
Del said defensively.

“You’re
pretty, you have a knock-out figure, you have so much
confidence.”

Aw, that was
sweet to say. Del ducked her head, a little embarrassed.

“Who’d guess
you could be so shy when it comes to intimacy with a bloke you have
the hots for? With all the sex advice you give friends, anyone
would think you were a sexpert.”

“Don’t you
dare say anything to them. Molly would never let me live it
down.”

“As if.” Dee
sniffed.

Del sighed. “I
just thought it would be easier.”

“For some
women it is easy. For others, not so much.” Dee gave her a hug.
“Welcome to reality.”

“Thanks.” Del
hugged her back.

“Best advice
ever?” Placing her hands on Del’s arms, Dee looked her right in the
eyes. “Be honest with your man. Doesn’t matter if you stutter or
stumble about it, just be honest.”

Del felt a
little better. “Really?”

“Yeah. They
can be dumb bastards sometimes without a little direction.”

“Is that what
you do with Ryder?”

“In the sack
he’s a god. As an ambo he’s the best. As a man he’s awesome. Other
times he can just be a real dumb arse.”

Del
grinned.

“Not to
mention a pain in my arse.”

“Yet you love
him.”

“I couldn’t
live without him.” Dee’s eyes got a little dreamy. “I waited for
him all my life.”

Looking at her
cousin, Del knew Dee never had to worry about Ryder leaving her.
The man was besotted with her. Ryder and Dee were made for each
other, it had just taken him a little longer to realise it. Dumb
arse.

“Thanks, Dee.”
Del gave her another hug. “I’ll think about what you said.”

“You do that.”
Dee started for the door. “Anything else?”

“Nope.”

“Good. Go shag
the living daylights out of Moz and come back here tomorrow with a
smile on your face and the worry lines gone from your
forehead.”