There was a long pause. “Well, I suppose you have to do what you think is best. It’s your life.”
“I can’t believe you just said that. Wow, you’ve changed for the better since you’ve been going out with Jolene.” She tucked her feet under her butt. “How’s Mom?”
“The same. She’s busy with all the committees she’s on for a bunch of charities. It’d be nice if you called her.”
“I’ll call her in the morning. She’s probably pissed off big time at me.” She laughed dryly. “It wouldn’t be anything new. I always rubbed her the wrong way.”
“She’ll be glad to hear from you. Where are you staying?”
“With friends. You don’t know them.”There’s no way you don’t know about Rock, but I’m not going to bring it up.
“That’s good. I gotta go. Remember to call Mom.”
“I will.”
She put the phone down on the side table and leaned her head on her hand. She couldn’t believe Armand didn’t read her the riot act. She said a small prayer of thanksgiving for Jolene being in his life.Sometimes it takes a woman to soften a man’s rough edges.She smiled.Like Rock. All tough and badass, but such a sweetheart when we’re together. I love him so much. It kills me that I’m going to have to break his heart. He’s never going to forgive me. He told me that he wanted an easy, unfettered life. He’ll never get that with me. Damn, I don’t want him to feel obligated to me, but I love him so much, and I want to try and make a future with him. Every time I try to talk to him, he shuts me down. I have to choke back my fear and make him listen to me regardless of the consequences. I can’t lose him again.
She stared out into the night, wiping the tears that trickled down her cheeks.I never should’ve let Rock go.She sighed and wrapped her arms closer around as she let the lull of the crickets and the winds numb all thoughts.
***
By the timeRock came home, Clotille was fast asleep. He quietly put his gun, knives, and padlock in a metal box and locked it, then went into the bathroom to take a shower. The humidity made him sticky all the time; he missed the dry, mountain air in Pinewood Springs.
When he’d finished he walked to the bed and tossed his towel across a chair, then slipped between the sheets, the warmth of Clotille’s body radiating to him. When he moved close to her and slinked his arm around her waist, she pushed back, her ass hitting his hard dick. She made a few sweet noises in her sleep, then returned to her steady breathing. His shaft was on fire. No woman had made him hard as often as she did. All he had to do was see her, smell her, or hear her and his damn dick would wake up. He dipped his head and kissed her silky hair, the scent of lemon and cucumber filling his nostrils.
I’m so fuckin’ hooked on her. I’ve never loved any other woman but her. I can’t believe we fuckin’ wasted all those years, but now that I have her, I’m never letting her go. She’s a part of me. She makes my life whole.She was the one who filled all the dark places in his heart. She’d become his comfort from the storm of life. And he loved her for it.
His trust had begun to come back since she’d told him she loved him. And he knew she did by the way she watched him when she didn’t think he noticed, or the way she’d wrap her arms around his neck and stipple kisses all over his face even if Isa and Charlie were in the room. Whatever it was that still haunted her, he could ride through it. He could weather anything now that hischériewas back in his life.
And he was never letting her go again.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Rock sat atthe kitchen table dunking a praline in his cup of coffee while he watched Clotille exercise to a DVD in the family room.I love those yoga pants. Fuck. Best invention after the thong.
“I’m thinking of going over to Madame Vincennes to get a reading. It’s been ages since I had one done.” Isa poured a cup of coffee and sat on the chair opposite of Rock.
He raised his eyebrows. “You didn’t hear?”
“Hear what?”
“She died a few weeks ago.” He snatched another praline from the plate in front of him.
“Oh… that’s too bad. I’m real sorry to hear that. She was a nice woman. I knew she was old, but I guess I never thought she’d die. Silly, huh?” Isa stirred a lump of sugar in her coffee.
“It wasn’t old age that got her. She had some help. She was murdered.” He wiped his hands on a napkin.
“Murdered? Oh my God.” Isa’s hand covered her mouth. “Why would anyone kill Madame? She was so poor, I can’t imagine anyone thinking she had any money. How did you find this out?”
“I heard it. I’m surprised you didn’t know.”
“I’m not friendly with anyone from the old neighborhood, and Aline and Michael keep me pretty busy. I hardly ever watch the news. Where did you hear it from?”
Rock glanced over at Clotille and figured she had another forty-five minutes left of her exercise routine. He leaned across the table. “I have something to tell you that’s going to fuckin’ blow your mind.”
Forty-five minutes later, Clotille came into the kitchen and ran her fingers through Rock’s hair as she passed him on her way to the fridge. She took out a bottled water and guzzled it down. Rock stared at her tight body that looked fantastic now that she’d put on some weight. Sweat glistened over her bare arms and neck, and those damn yoga pants had him adjusting his jeans.Damn, she’s so sexy after she works out. I can’t stop looking at her.
“I’m going to take a shower.” She broke off a piece of the praline on Rock’s plate and popped it in her mouth. “What’re you two talking about? You look so serious.”
