24. Sadie
24
SADIE
“ B reathe,” Gus says while sitting on the edge of my bed and watching me squeeze my suitcase shut. “He’s just a man.”
“I’m breathing just fine,” I argue while jerking the zipper closed.
And I am. My heart is pounding and my palms feel clammy but I’m still breathing.
Gus deserves to be scolded for saying Cale Connelly is ‘ just a man’ but I’m working on playing it cool. If I don’t practice, I might tackle Cale on sight. Ever since he said he’d be visiting ( gasp!) and we’d be sharing a resort suite (GASP! GASP!), I’ve been a woman obsessed.
Him and me. One bed. So many things that can be done on that bed. And out of the bed too. Against the wall. In the shower. The combinations are endless.
I could hardly sleep last night. I keep checking the time every two minutes, hopelessly impatient for his arrival. I’m afflicted with at least six different sex fantasies an hour.
“I’m doing it,” I blurt out to Gus.
She blinks behind her huge purple-frame glasses. “What is it you’re doing and why do I get the feeling I won’t approve?”
Heaving a deep breath, I take a seat beside her on the bed. “I’m going to tell Cale that I’m in love with him.”
Gus says nothing in the wake of this colossal confession. Gus is never without a comeback. It’s one of the reasons we’re besties. Neither of us can keep our mouths shut. Either she’s been shocked into silence or else she doesn’t want to hurt my feelings.
“I see,” she says. She toys with a string of pumpkin-shaped beads around her neck and I get the sense she’s picking her words with care. “In the beginning you said it wasn’t like that between you and him.”
“It wasn’t at first.” I start toying with the huge diamond ring that’s on my finger for today because Cale isn’t the only one who is on his way to Colorado. His uncle, his aunt and a bevy of mobsters are showing up too. For the next few days, Cale and I will need to act extremely married. Wearing the ring is no chore. In fact, I enjoy wearing it the correct way instead of on a chain that’s hidden inside my shirt. Lately that’s what I’ve been doing more and more, like wearing the ring for everyone to see is a constant reminder of my connection to Cale.
“Lately you’ve been wearing your ring more and more,” says Gus the mind reader.
“How did you do that?” I ask. “I was literally just thinking those exact words.”
She shrugs. “Your face is an open book.”
Such a horrifying revelation. “Why didn’t you ever tell me? Now I’m paranoid that my feelings for Cale are going to be super obvious.”
“Oh, they totally are. For weeks you’ve been stumbling around in a lovestruck daze. I was just stunned to hear you admit it out loud.”
“Hold on. I’m putting on a game face.” I take a deep breath and try to summon an infusion of serenity. “How’s this?”
She surveys with me a doubtful expression. “Now you look like you have a mouthful of sour gummy worms. Besides, why do you need a game face at all? You said you were going to tell him that you’re in love with him.”
“Well, I can’t just throw myself at him the minute he rolls up. Or can I? What would you do?”
Gus mulls this over. “I think I’d avoid falling for a cryptic fake husband who tends to collect bullet holes.”
“Ouch. That’s not very supportive.”
She winces. “Sorry. I’m just worried about you, cupcake. Cale lives all the way in New York. What would a real relationship look like?”
“I’m still working on the part where I throw myself at him. The idea is making me a little lightheaded.” I lean over to check the time on the nightstand alarm clock that’s shaped like an owl. Cale texted when he landed at the small Durango airport half an hour ago. “He should be here any minute. Are you sticking around to offer moral support?”
“Wish I could, but Mrs. Mancuso’s Great Dane took a nail through the paw so I promised I’d make a house call.”
“I need you to do something before you go. I don’t trust the mirror.” I stand up and twirl in front of her. “Deodorant stain and bra strap check.”
She scrutinizes my dress. “Perfect.”
I smooth my hands over the flared skirt. “Do I really look okay? I need you to be brutally honest.”
“You look scrumptious.” She leans in for a hug. “Make him beg for it.”
It’s inconceivable that Cale Connelly would ever beg for anything but the concept is very entertaining.
Zeus and Apollo are curled up together on the braided throw rug made by Peggy. They lift their heads for pats from Gus as she leaves.
Once she’s gone, I take a critical look in the long mirror hanging on the closet door. The vintage-style cut of the dress, with a wide skirt and snug bodice, suits the shape of my body. And it’s green, which reminds me of Cale’s green eyes.
But maybe the dress is too green.
Set against my red hair I might look Christmas-ish. Or worse, like a leprechaun. Who wants to be seduced by a leprechaun? Nobody. Definitely not Cale.
I’m still tossing around the idea of changing to something less vibrant when my phone buzzes and I practically dive over to my bed to retrieve it. The text is from Cale. He’s five minutes out.
There I go, getting all tingly again. I kneel down in front of Zeus and Apollo.
“Boys, wish your mama luck.”
The best they can do is gaze at me with wet, sleepy eyes. Zeus yawns. I kiss their heads, grab my rolling suitcase and decide to forego my boots in favor of low-heeled black pumps. As I shove them on my feet I remember the last time I wore them was on Christmas Eve. The night Cale Connelly asked me to make a deal with him.
That was seven months ago. Not a long time. It just feels that way because my heart has gone through such an evolution. That night I was a little afraid of him, which seems funny now. The man who will comfort me during a thunderstorm and takes care of me when I’m sick and scours Manhattan bookstores to fulfill my romance title wish list isn’t a man to fear. He’s the man of my dreams.
True, he lives a couple of thousand miles away. And he works for a mafia king who also happens to be his uncle. And we made a secret marriage pact that his mafia king uncle can’t find out about.
Set all that aside, and he’s just Cale. He rescues dogs from local bullies. He loves his brother. He knows how to make me feel special.
It doesn’t hurt that he’s obscenely gorgeous and outrageously sexy and I’m absolutely dying to see him naked.
My suitcase thumps as I drag it down the stairs. Peggy’s apartment is empty except for her six cats and a burning candle. I blow the candle out and find her outside, planting tomato seedlings in her garden.
At the sound of my suitcase wheels, she looks up and brushes dirt from her gloved hands. “You’ll be cold later,” she says.
“It’s warm,” I argue. “The summer solstice is next week and I do have a sweatshirt in my suitcase.”
Peggy shakes her head and rise from the dirt. She walks briskly past me and I know I’m meant to wait right here until she returns.
The sounds of the ranch filter this way on the slight breeze. There’s a deep bark from The Doghouse. Then laughter from the paddock where Wylie and newly arrived Bluebell, whose owner recently died, are being led around inside the perimeter of the fence. Overhead, the cloudless deep blue sky stretches to infinity and the air smells of cut grass.
With a deep inhale of the perfumed air, a sense of contentment reigns. The scene is everything I’ve pictured and it’s nearly perfect. All I would need to make it more perfect is to have Cale standing beside me.
Peggy opens the side door and a black kitten named Sally tries to make an escape. She’s gently picked up by Peggy and returned to the house, a wise move considering hawks fly over regularly. In her hand is her latest granny square cardigan.
“Wear this.” She drapes it over my shoulders without waiting for consent.
The chaotic sweater features at least seventeen different colors and not one of them matches the green in my dress.
I slip my arms through the sleeves anyway. “Thank you. I’ll be back on Monday morning but Gus said she’s standing by if you need anything. And of course if there’s any kind of an emergency I can return immediately.”
“There won’t be an emergency,” Peggy says with complete confidence. Her mane of silver hair is coiled around her head in a thick braid. She’s one of the few adults who needs to look up to see my eyes. “Do you have condoms?”
If I’d been eating or drinking I would have spit out every ounce in shock. “PEGGY!”
She shrugs her bony shoulders. “My hands are full. I have no time to take care of an infant.”
“There won’t be any infant because there won’t be any…never mind.”
I’m sure my face is flaming. I feel as if I’ve been caught with my hand in the cookie jar. Naturally, I’m hoping for a whole of ‘never mind’ to happen this weekend but the entire ranch doesn’t need to hear about it.
As for condoms, I should have thought of that. But they’re hardly difficult to find. Cale probably has some stuffed in his wallet. Or else the resort surely has a gift shop where they can be purchased.
Peggy is already done with the conversation and on her way back to her tomato plants. “Remember what I said,” she calls before plunking back down in the garden dirt.
However, the telltale crunch of tires puts an end to all talk. A gleaming black SUV turns through the open gate and my heart starts thudding.
Cale is here. I can see him behind the wheel. He’s wearing sunglasses and he’s not alone. There are shadowy shapes in the backseat. I just assumed the rest of his traveling partners would proceed directly to the resort. Apparently not. I’ve never been required to welcome the mafia to Bright Hearts before. Except for Cale, and of course he doesn’t count.
But nothing can dampen my excitement over seeing him again.
The game face isn’t happening. I’m far too happy as I bounce up and down on my toes, waving with wild enthusiasm as the wide sleeve of Peggy’s granny square cardigan flaps on my arm.
Cale brakes to a stop halfway up the driveway and exits. His sunglasses are off and he’s grinning and I’m already running to him, although first I nearly trip over my own suitcase. Hopefully nobody saw that.
Cale jogs to meet me halfway and I fly into his arms. Good thing he’s strong enough to absorb the impact.
“You’re here!” I squeal, devouring the feel of his body.
My knees get hooked on his hips. My hormones kick into overdrive. One deep inhale and I’m drunk on his aftershave. It feels natural to brush my lips over the pulse of his neck. It’s fast, his pulse. Maybe faster than mine. Cale tightens his hold on me and moves his head in search of my mouth.
This kiss is different. Every other kiss was a performance. Oh, I enjoyed them all. A LOT. But we were still kissing for the benefit of other people. We were still playing make believe.
Cale uses his tongue and demands access to mine. He can have it. He can have everything. We can go upstairs right now and I can get the answers to some burning questions.
What would sex be like with him?
Overwhelming, for sure.
He’s so intense. I have no doubt he knows his way around.
I wouldn’t say I’m a prude between the sheets but I’ve never been adventurous. With Cale, nothing is off limits.
A car door slams shut and Cale jerks his head to the source of the noise.
That’s right, there were other people inside the vehicle. I do not care who they are. In fact, I sort of hate them right now.
He’s distracted at once, pulling away and setting me down on my feet, which is a real disappointment. Cale exhales loudly and shoots me a look that’s a cross between worry and apology. Not like him at all.
“Sadie!” Richie Amato’s belly laugh sure is a mood killer. He waddles this way with his arms open, seizes me in an unwanted hug, then kisses each cheek with a wet smacking sound.
The instant I’m released, Cale pulls me to his side, swinging a protective arm around my shoulders. Cale’s Aunt Donna climbs out of the car next. Greeting her is far less traumatic than greeting her husband.
“This place is so cute!” Donna exclaims, pressing a hand to her bosom. “Richie, how cute is this? What’s it called again?”
“Bright Hearts Ranch,” I say, enjoying the weight of Cale’s arm.
Donna tells her husband that someday she wants a ranch just like this one. He doesn’t appear to be listening. His eyes continue to follow Cale.
Next, Donna wants a tour. Normally I love any opportunity to show off the work we do here but right now there’s a mafia overlord breathing down my neck. Richie Amato hangs a few paces back and observes in silence as I give Donna the complete tour of the ranch. Maybe I’m on the wrong track but I get the sense there’s some tension between Cale and his uncle.
Donna and Richie aren’t the only ones who made the trip with Cale. There’s a whole flock of Amato family associates on their way up to the resort. It’s possible Cale is just nervous that someone might guess the truth about our marriage. If so, he needn’t worry. I don’t plan to hold back on the affection this weekend. Anyone watching us won’t have a reason to doubt we’re a loving couple.
Peggy has no interest in meeting anyone new today. She continues digging her tomato holes when I try to introduce her to Richie and Donna. Luckily, Donna is too busy talking to notice. She carries on about how she wants a ranch too but not in Colorado and on her ranch there won’t be so many animals because of Richie’s allergies.
“Hello, Peggy,” Cale says and finally Peggy pauses her digging.
She stays in her squatting position and points the garden shovel at him. “I knew you’d be back,” she says.
Only those who know and love Peggy would understand that the greeting is full of enthusiasm. It’s as if she has exclaimed, “I’ve missed you, Cale!”
When I reach for Cale’s hand he not only cooperates, he lifts my hand and briefly presses his lips to my knuckles. I’m aware that he might be overdoing the affection to convince his uncle but I don’t think so. Richie continues to observe us with a blank, unreadable expression that sends chills up my back.
I don’t relish the thought of being scrutinized by Richie Amato all weekend. At least I have a solution. Cale and I will just have to stay in our room as much as possible. Perfect.
We’re heading back to the rental car when Jasper jogs through the gate for his shift. Thanks to Cale’s generosity, I’ve been able to start paying Jasper for part time work here.
He sees us and raises a hand. “Hey, Mr. Wingate. Good to see you again.”
Whoops.
Richie Amato, who clearly misses nothing, didn’t miss hearing Cale get called Mr. Wingate either. He stares at his nephew, takes stock of our joined hands, then finally snorts with laughter and opens passenger side back door to let his wife in. He walks around to the other side and climbs in without a word.
Cale carries my suitcase and loads it into the trunk. He doesn’t notice I’ve followed him until he shuts the trunk.
We stare at each other for a moment and then he pulls me in for a hug. Burying my face in the folds of his crisp white shirt, I squeeze him around the waist. I don’t want to let go.
He rubs a hand across my back. “Nice sweater, by the way.”
I tip my head back to see his face. “You don’t like it? You don’t think multi-colored granny squares make me look sexy?”
He grins. “I didn’t say that.”
“Then maybe if you’re lucky I’ll let you watch me take it off later.”
He says nothing but I’ve seen that burning hunger in his eyes before. I saw it the night of our wedding in Vegas. What would have happened if we’d given in to temptation then?
Cale runs the pad of his thumb over my lower lip, just like he did on our wedding night.
Richie sticks his head out the window and yells, “Are we leaving or are we sleeping in the fucking car tonight?”
Cale drops his arms and takes a step back. He glares in the direction of his uncle’s voice.
With a sigh, he walks around to the passenger side and opens the door for me.
I can’t wait to be alone with him.