The Redemption(76)

“Sure. Okay.” She nods.

“Oh and ignore Gage. He’ll offend you in some way, so it’s just best not to pay any attention to him.”

She takes a wavering breath and says, “I’m here for you, Dex. Only you.”

Taking her hand in one and her case in the other, I lead her inside. At the top of the stairs, I say, “There’s a guest room across the hall from mine…” I wait to see what she wants to do, hoping it’s the same as what I want.

“I’m not staying with you?” If I’m not mistaken, her lashes flutter, reminding me of a butterfly.

My thoughts momentarily drift back to her mentioning her love of fireflies. “I want you to stay with me,” I whisper, giving her hand a little squeeze.

A pink covers her cheeks, making me want to do so much to her right now. She says, “I’d like that.”

Leading her into the bedroom, I set her bag down and she walks to the window, not giving the king size bed a second thought. “Your window overlooks a garden. It’s beautiful.”

“Nothing like your beauty.”

She smiles at me, then turns back. “Roses are beautiful but dangerous. I’ve always been fascinated by them. What grows in the greenhouse?”

“I’m not sure. I haven’t been back there since I’ve been here.” Standing near the door, I ask, “Would you like to freshen up or for me to give you a tour of the house?”

Turning, she jumps onto the bed and falls back. “You’re so formal here. It reminds me of when I lived in Boston.”

“There were very strict rules when I visited here. Old habits die hard.”

With her arm outstretched, she summons me to her. Pausing, I stare down at her, the image of Eve and all her mortal sins corrupting me to my core. But like Adam, I can’t resist the temptation. Crawling onto the bed, I move on top of her. My weight balanced above her until her hands travel from my neck down to my waist. I drop down lightly, balancing just above. “What are you doing to me?”

Her eyes look into mine, our connection always present. Pushing me gently up, she giggles and says, “You’re right. I’ll take the tour.”

She squirms her way to the side, but I grab her by the waist before she escapes and say, “We’ll pick up where we left off later.”

Her eyes give her desires away. She’s not playing hard with such a sexually mischievous look in her soulful browns. “I look forward to it.”

Following her out the door, we head back downstairs to the sitting room where I saw my mom last. Gage is near the door at the bar when we enter. He stops and eyes Rochelle blatantly, top to bottom and back up, and I want to punch him in the f*cking face for it. Instead, I possessively take her hand and lead her to the couch across from the chair where my mother sits. She smiles at me and then to Rochelle before speaking. “It’s so good to see you again, Rochelle.”

“You too, Mrs. Caggiano.”

My mom looks down and smiles while toiling with the throw on her lap. “We only had nine years together, but those years seem to have shaped my entire life.”

Rochelle looks to me for further explanation when it’s clear my mom is not going to give one. I lean back, getting comfortable. “My father and mother were married for nine years before he died.”

My mom looks at Rochelle, new blood in the mix to share her stories to. But this time, I don’t mind. This time, I make the time to listen. “He was the most handsome man I had ever see—”

“Nine years?” Gage asks, staring at us from across the room. “That’s not right, Mother. You’re forgetting in your old age.”

“Shut-up,” I say to him before turning back.

“What? You need to show off for you girlfriend here? Like she’ll find a ‘shut-up’ impressive. I’ll show her impress—”

I stand and cut him off. “Shut the f*ck up, Gage, or I’ll shut you up.”

Gage cackles and swallows more of his drink. Looks like Scotch. “There’s the fighter we all love to hate. Doesn’t take much to provoke the lower class.”

“You don’t even know what you’re talking about, man. Just stop, Gage. Okay?”

“Speaking of lower class, how’s that band thing working out for you ever since that guy died?”

Rochelle stiffens beside me, her breath stopping altogether.

My mother says, “Gage, find something useful to do, like finding a job.”

“After this meeting, I won’t need a job.” He walks into the other room, slamming his glass down on the cherry wood of the sideboard before exiting.

“I’m sorry.” Both Rochelle and I look at my mother as she apologizes. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

“Thank you,” Rochelle says with a nod and a taut smile in place.

Squeezing her knee, I ask, “Are you okay?”

“I am. Your brother’s an * though.”

“Yep.” I laugh. “He majored in it at Brown.” I stand up and help my mom up. “We need to go or we’ll be late.”

In the garden, I hadn’t noticed how frail my mom has become. Out there she fooled me by the way she held my arm. The change in her is more obvious now just a few short hours later.

“Would you like to come, Rochelle?” she asks.