Fat Tuesday(120)

"He was rather intense, yes, but I thought about him a lot."

"What did you think when you thought about him?"

"Wicked things."

"Naw."

"Um-huh. I thought that he would be a temptation to every woman in his parish."

"Come on."

"It's true," she averred."I thought that he was far too attractive to be holy."

"I'm not holy."

"But I didn't know that at the time. I thought he had incredible sex appeal."

"Really?"

"Yes. And that was before I knew he had freckles on his shoulders."

He laughed, enjoying her attention, her flirting."No I don't." Laughing with him, she said, "Yes you do." They spent the next several hours nuzzling and kissing and exploring each other's bodies with the sweet curiosity reserved for new lovers, delighting over each discovery.

They bought into the fantasy that they had met at another time and place, and that they were free to laugh and indulge themselves for the sheer pleasure of it. They teased lavishly, but there were also long stretches of time when they did nothing except gaze at each other.

"You're so beautiful," he said at one point."I can't believe I'm with you like this."

"I like your face," she whispered back."It's very honest, but..."

"But what?"

"It's very dark behind your eyes, Basile." She stared into them.

"What do you keep hidden back there in the dark?"

"All my sins and shortcomings."

"There can't be that many."

"You'd be surprised. Or maybe you wouldn't," he added with a soft laugh.

She traced his lips with her fingertip."You smile here, but not with your eyes. Why is that? What's made you so unhappy?"

It was unnerving that she could read him so well, but at the same time he was touched by her ability to do so, and by her desire to know the whole man. He wanted to tell her how much her caring meant to him.

"Remy ..." He searched her face, the depths of her eyes, and words failed him. So he kissed her instead, and held her close and reluctantly told her that they probably should try to get some sleep.

He turned her to face away from him, but placed his arm across her waist and drew her against him, fitting her butt into the curve of his belly. He had honestly thought that that intimacy would be sufficient.

But it took very little for him to become inflamed again.

Soon his erection was probing her cleft. He reached for her breast and stroked the nipple to full hardness. Kissing the back of her neck, he pushed his hips forward, found her soft and open, pressed, and murmured her name when her wet heat surrounded him again.

He began to thrust into her, and was almost lost in the rhythm when a small sound from her yanked him from the erotic daze.

He disengaged himself and turned her onto her back. She was crying.

He wiped the tears off her cheeks."I'm sorry, Remy. I'll stop. It's okay."

"I didn't want you to stop."

He swallowed hard."Then what?"

She took his face between her hands."You know what my life with Pinkie has been like. You know why he took me for his own, and what he made of me, and what I've been to him all these years."

There was no mistaking her meaning. He nodded somberly.

"I've performed for him on command," she said, insistent that he understand.

"I know that."

She drew in a shuddering breath."And you still want me?"

"Want you?" he repeated with dismay."Want you?"

He covered her and entered her again, all in one fluid motion.

Sliding his fingers up through her hair, he held her head in place while speaking to her in a low, urgent voice.

'"I may die before this thing is finished. Or I may spend the rest of my life behind bars. In either case, it's okay."

Subtly he pressed himself deeper inside her."But I couldn't stand you going back to him. Anything but that I deserve and I'm willing to accept." He squeezed his eyes tightly shut and pressed his forehead against hers."But you can't go back to Duvall. You can't.

Anything, anything but that."

,{,/r. Duvall?" Jse "Who's this?"

"Doug Pat. Your wife's been found."

Roman had brought the cordless telephone to Pinkie, who was having breakfast at the dining table."Where?" he asked brusquely.

"Dredd's Mercantile. Deputy sheriffs are with her. I'm on my way there now."

"What about Basile?"

He sensed Pat's reluctance to tell him."He dropped Mrs. Duvall there and took off."

"How is she?"

"According to Mr. Michoud, she's fine. Eager to get home."

"I want Basile found, Pat. I want every goddamn inch of Louisiana searched until he's found and brought to justice."

"I seriously doubt it's justice you're seeking," Pat said with infuriating placidity."You never considered it a kidnapping, or you would have had the director of the FBI himself down here searching for your wife. But, if you insist, I'll call the feds in now to question Mrs. Duvall."