P L A Y L I S T
Heard it From a Friend - Lolo
Perry had some decisions to make. As much as he loved fucking Bethany, she was becoming a bit too clingy. Probably time for him to do one of his disappearing acts. Women in love were so gullible. They wanted to believe whatever lies men spouted. And all men did. Even if it was as innocent as telling a woman her ass didn't look big in a pair of jeans—still a lie. Just as he'd done with Zari, he could claim an out of town business trip, and Bethany or any woman would take him at his word.
Of course, he'd been careful. None of the babes he'd bedded knew about his condo in Midtown, and they wouldn't. His sanctuary. Downtown and uptown views from every room. Private entrance. Twenty-four-hour security. Hell, he'd even used one of his many aliases to buy the place. It was amazing what money could do. Fake identities came easily with the right people in place. Besides, after the scandal of his father's trial, Perry couldn't afford to keep his name. Well, not his last name. Sometimes he had to think to keep everything straight.
Chaim Witz owned the condo. Stanley Eisen signed the lease on his apartment. Eric Mensinger owned a private island in Dubai, and Thomas Thayer recently opened an offshore account. He chuckled. Nobody could claim he didn't have a sense of humor.
So far, everything was in place, but luck would eventually run out. Dad had taught him that, along with how to swindle people. The more money people had, the greedier they got. Sure, they gave a lot of it away; hell, that's how he'd gotten much of what he had. Helping starving children in third world countries loosened purse strings quicker than anything.
Zari's discovery had thrown a kink in his plans. Of course she had to go through his things and catch him with Bethany. He'd had a strict timeline, and until she left town it had all been in place, but once that happened, adjustments had to be made. Sometimes when he'd had too much to drink, a twinge of guilt niggled at him.
Zari was innocent, but then again, Perry's mother hadn't known about his father's sins, yet she suffered until she couldn't. Once he turned eighteen, Mom figured he could take care of his sister. She'd said so in the suicide note.
No, innocent or not, Jake Davis and Matthew Kline had sent Perry's father to prison and indirectly caused his mother's death. Zari's father was dead, but the lawyer deserved the same kind of pain. Besides, it wasn't like Zari was ever going to be a significant contributor to society. She couldn't keep a job or a partner, and her only ambitions were writing stupid songs. Yeah, the world would never miss her. But Kline would, and Perry knew all too well how it felt to lose the people he loved most in the world. Everything he'd done in life was to get to the point he could make that happen.
Well, he couldn't wait much longer. As soon as Thanksgiving was over, he'd make a trip to that podunk town and bring her back home.
*
If there was one thing Owen didn't need, it was spending more time with Silbie. Why Matthew accepted the Thanksgiving invitation, he didn't know. Well, he did know. The old man had the hots for Silbie's mother. Couldn't fault him for that because when it came to the Luna women, men seemed to lose their good sense.
Guess it didn't matter in Matthew's case. His 50 to her 44 meant nothing because—well because it was 50 and 44. Both ages, plenty mature. Too bad it didn't work that way in Owen's case.
If Silbie were only a couple years older, the difference wouldn't be a concern. But she wasn't, and nothing could change that. Had to accept she was off-limits. And he had. He'd vowed not to return to Parkers Prairie, and here he was, ready to go back.
Owen could decline, and he should, but he'd always spent the holidays with Matthew, his brothers, and Zari.
Maybe that's what brought this on. He was trying to reclaim the atmosphere from when his family had been complete, before Callie Filgard-Kline perished in Delphy and left Matthew a single father to her sons.
No doubt the situation with Zari reminded him how quickly life changes, and if he wanted to be with her during the festivities, Parkers Prairie was the only place that could happen.
No, Owen couldn't refuse. He'd just suck it up and get on with it. Hell, he'd make it a day trip. Drive that morning, eat lunch, then back to Dallas. In that short time, nothing could happen. He'd see her what—a couple of hours? And, there would be plenty of people around to keep him from doing something stupid. Yeah, it'd be a safe environment, so no worries.
He pushed back from his desk, stretched out his legs, and stared at the computer screen. Sixteen new listings yesterday. Couldn't complain in that department. Business was the best it had ever been. If the growth kept up, he would have to hire another agent.
Success was a double edged sword. On the one hand, growth was what he worked for, but on the other, more employees meant more headaches. As long as he and Dante could handle the workload, Owen didn't want to bring someone else on board.
The office door flew open with more force than necessary, and Dante stormed in. "You're not going to believe this."
"What? The couple didn't like the condo? I thought it was just what they were looking for. Let me guess. She didn't like the cabinet hardware."
Dante waved him off. "No, no, she liked all of it, they want to make an offer. That's not what I'm talking about."
"Then what?"
"I saw Perry with another woman. The fucker is fucking around on Zari. I should fuck him up." Gritting his teeth, Dante fisted his hands and sliced the air with an uppercut.
Owen sat up straight. "Maybe she was a client. Just because he was with a woman doesn't prove anything."
He had never seen mild-mannered Dante so livid. "Oh yeah? Well, his tongue down her throat and his hand on her ass does."
"You're shitting me."
"Hell no," Dante paced the area in front of his desk. "Looked like she'd spent the night at his apartment. He was leaving, and she was giving him a send-off."
Owen rubbed his jaw, his head spinning. "I'm surprised you didn't confront him." Dante was always the one who started fights and got too far in too ever back down.
Like Owen, he loved Zari like a sister.
"Thought about it, but the area is too populated, so I followed him all the way to University Park. He must have been meeting a client. Went into a private entrance at 805 Peachtree. Look it up and see who lives there."
Owen clicked his keyboard a few times, then leaned closer to the screen. "Chaim Witz. Ever heard of him?"
"No, but that doesn't mean anything."
Dante plopped down into a chair. "What should we do?"
"For now, let's keep it to ourselves. At the moment, it won't matter to Zari since she doesn't remember him."
He tapped his chin. "You think this other woman is why she left town?"
Owen shouldered back in his chair and rubbed his neck. Something wasn't right. Perry had blamed his long hours as the reason for her leaving. If they'd broken up, why not just say so? "I'm not sure, but since he never insisted on going to Parkers Prairie to visit Zari, then having another woman seems feasible. Matthew thought all along Perry hasn't shown enough concern."
"Yeah, I should definitely fuck him up." If he didn't share Dante's anger at Perry cheating on Zari, he'd find him comical.
"Cut it out. You're not to lay a hand on him. Understand? There are other ways of getting even. For all we know, his job was the reason she left, and she broke up with him before getting the hell out of Dodge. If that's the case, no harm, no foul."
"And how do you intend to find out? Zari's brain is a blank canvas, and if he is screwing around, we sure as hell can't ask him and expect a confession."
Dante sighed, crossing his arms over his chest.
"How'd the woman look?"
Dante dipped his head and widened his eyes. "Like a watered-down version of Zari, in leopard print."
"Okay, then maybe we should find a way to meet her and strike up a conversation."
He grinned. "I like the way you think."
*
For the next few days, because of the snow that refused to fully melt, Gabriel had worked long hours, and Zari barely saw him. Well, she watched him sleep, and Lord knew she liked doing that. His strong jaw and curly brown locks were enough to make her heart kick up, but add the stubble he'd grown made her knees weak.
She especially liked his scattered look when he wasn't working and would wear glasses. He was the sexiest man she'd ever seen—and he belonged to her. Even planned to propose. She still marveled at that. Not that she was unworthy of a hot guy, she just got the feeling people weren't really drawn to her—or maybe they were. She didn't remember. But it wouldn't be long until she did because every day her past was coming back.
Just yesterday, she'd recalled dropping out of college. Her first girlfriend, when she realized maybe Tamara was more than just a best friend. The entire story of her broken engagement, and bits and pieces of her life that didn't amount to much. Bad haircuts. Crappy prom date. And the first boy who'd put his hand on her boob. Eighth-grade dance. She remembered it did nothing for her. No hot rush. No tingling. Nada.
Boy, had times changed. With just a glance from Gabriel, every inch of her body caught fire. The problem was she couldn't get him to put it out.
But come Friday, things would be different. Her cast came off, and the ten days no sex rule would end. Hallelujah! If he thought she'd been aggressive in the past, he was in for a big surprise.
The last couple of days her fantasies had been in overdrive. She'd seduced him in every room and made love on every surface. Kitchen counter. Back porch. Shower. Truck. Floor. Even against the washing machine during a spin cycle. She couldn't help but wonder if she was always like this.
"Hey."
She has been so caught up in mentally doing him, she'd not heard Gabriel come into the kitchen with a heavy worn book tucked under his arm.
"Good morning." God, he looked so good with his hair in every direction and glasses perched precariously on his nose, her mouth watered, or maybe the reaction was left over from just having him on the piano bench. She'd mentally straddled him, his arms braced on the keys, playing a few notes with each thrust. Baby Jesus in the manger.
"Were you about to leave?"
She nodded. "I was going over to your mom's, but I'll wait until you go to work."
He scratched the back of his head, a little shy as he sat down at the table, flipping open the dog eared copy of The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. She had to smile. Elena was right, he was such a nerd.
"I'm off today."
"Really?"
He smiled, his eyes scanning the page. "Yeah. Thought we might do something. Go see a movie or just stay here and watch Netflix. It's still cold out. I could build a fire. But since I don't have a sofa, might be better at a theater."
She leaned against the counter watching him get lost in the pages. Briefly, she wondered if this was how he sat at her bedside while she was in a coma, reading some of her more raunchy books aloud while she lay there.
Zari looked past him, to the living room just beyond the kitchen. There wasn't anything in way of furniture to make the place look lived in, but the three massive bookshelves that lined the walls strained with the weight of books. "Why don't we buy a couch and then see a movie? Are you up for that?"
He put his fingers to his temples as if the idea hurt, and she regretted the question. With the way he'd been working, of course, he didn't want to look at furniture. Hell, most men never wanted to shop, especially for home décor. "I'm sorry. You should spend your day off doing something you like. Forget I said anything."
"No, that's okay." He pushed his glasses up his nose, finally looking up at her. "Uhmmm. What day is it?"
"Wednesday. Tomorrow's Thanksgiving."
"Oh. We should go to Grapevine. My housekeeper comes this afternoon."
Zari stepped to the coffeemaker. "I didn't know you had one."
"Thought I'd mentioned it. She comes every other week. We'd probably be in her way." He looked marginally ashamed. "I usually tidy up after myself," he told her, as if he wanted her to know he wasn't a slob.
"Okay. I didn't know when you'd get up, so I didn't make coffee, but I will."
"Don't bother. We'll get something on the way. And I'll swing by Mom's to let her know you're not coming today." He returned his attention to his book. She bit her lip, wondering. She crossed the expanse of the kitchen in two easy steps and saddled herself next to him, nudging him with her elbow.
"You read to me while I was in the hospital," she said as matter-of-factly.
His head shot up, eyebrows raised into his hairline, as if her proclamation surprised him. Clearly, he didn't know that she knew that.
"Uh, yeah." He smiled sheepishly, as if he'd been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "Matthew tell you that?"
"No," she grinned, pecking him on the cheek. "I could hear you at times. Sometimes you sat there talking to me, other times you read aloud."
If possible, his eyebrows raised even higher, as if all the time he wasn't aware that every time he talked to her while she lay there unmoving, every time he read to her, she was listening all the while. Maybe it was stupid to think it was his voice that brought her back to the surface, but then again, maybe it wasn't. He kept her tethered.
"Oh," he simply said, and she wanted to know what was going through his head at that exact moment. The edge of her lips tugged upward, wondering if he was replaying all the times he'd read her smutty scenes from her books to her. The blush creeping over his freckles told her that her calculations were correct.
He cleared his throat, taking her hand and interlocking their fingers. "You ready?"
She stared down at his long fingers tangled up in hers. "Uh-huh."
He zeroed in on the two cherry-size bumps beneath her sweater. "Uhm." He looked skyward, his cheeks tinging an adorable shade of red again. "Do you need to change?"
She crossed her hands over her breasts. "Oh. Sorry. With you gone so much, I've gotten used to going without one."
He raised his eyebrows.
"I'll go put one on, then you can hook it for me."
She headed down the hall, and he called after her.
"Oh, if we have time after shopping and the movie, we'll go to the animal shelter."
She turned, rushed back down the hall, and flew into his arms. Zari pressed her lips to his, and he didn't stop her. Instead, he tangled one hand into her hair and used the other to pull her closer, biting down meanly on her lip. Maybe he was also counting the hours until the no sex decree ended.
She sure hoped so, because she had big plans.
___________________________________
Boomchickawowwowww. Zari is counting down the days, isn't she? Can you blame her?
What do you think this is about?