Janet Evanovich - Full Bloom

"So he never went out of town," Annie said. "Wonder what he was doing?"

"Following his wife, maybe? I'm going to pay Lamar Tevis a visit tomorrow. Tell him what I know."

"I'll go with you."

"Maybe, maybe not," he said.

"Huh?"

"You obviously haven't read today's paper."

"No."

"You might want to take a look at the obits." He handed it to her. "Your husband's memorial service is being held tomorrow at two o'clock."

"Tomorrow?" she asked, her eyes round and wide. "Does that mean his remains have been located?"

"I spoke with Lamar. Nothing so far, and Mrs. Fortenberry isn't convinced they'll ever be found. She said she needed some kind of closure on this and if they do find the remains she will have a private burial."

Annie's face drained of color, and her emerald eyes looked as though they'd turned to stone. "And she didn't bother to tell me? She thinks she can just plan a memorial service for my deceased husband and not tell me?" Tears filled her eyes; Annie was suddenly furious. "I don't believe it."

"Come with me, Annie," Wes said, getting up from his chair. She looked dazed as he pulled her up. "We're going for a walk. We're going to practice what's called anger management. And at this moment you look like the perfect candidate."

Annie waited until he'd slipped on his denim jacket before going into the living room and pulling her lined windbreaker from the coat closet. "I hope none of my neighbors see me lurking in the night," Annie said as she and Wes stepped outside. "They'll think I'm looking to break in and kill somebody in their sleep. I'll be hauled off to jail again."

"You do look pretty dangerous in that Mickey Mouse jacket."

"Theenie, Lovelle, and I went to Disney World last year. They chipped in and bought me this." She tossed him a dark look. "Don't try to cheer me up; I'm still mad as hell."

"You have every right to be. I'm just trying to teach you ways to deal with it better. Before you discover where Theenie hid the rolling pin."

Annie sucked in the cool night air as they crossed the piazza and cleared the front steps, passing the fountain where the cherubs stood in repose. They crossed the yard and started down the sidewalk. Streetlights lit the way, and tall oaks, their massive roots jutting through the sidewalk, formed a high canopy over the cobblestone road that the residents of the historic district had refused to let the city replace with asphalt.

"I'm going to Charles's memorial tomorrow, Wes," Annie said after they'd walked a while.

"I figured as much." But he sounded worried. "I think you should maintain your distance with the woman; avoid her altogether."

"Eve Fortenberry has never liked me."

Wes tried to match strides with Annie, but she was walking fast. "I'm going out on a limb here, but I'll bet she likes you less since you were arrested for her son's murder."

"Let her think what she likes. She has suspected me of doing something to her son since he first turned up missing."

"I wonder why?"

Annie shook her head. "I don't know. Maybe it was easier for her to think I'd done something to him than to imagine him leaving without even telling her or contacting her in all that time.

"And now it's easier for her to hate me than to …" Annie paused and shrugged.

"Accept the death of her son?" Wes finished for her.

"Yeah."

They walked in silence. After a while, Annie felt the tightness in her stomach dissolve, and the muscles in her neck and shoulders no longer felt like rubber bands pulled tight enough to snap. She continued to breathe in the night air. Here and there she caught the unmistakable scent of gardenia, another reminder that winter had somehow escaped them. Wes had been right to get her out; the air had cleared her head, and she felt, oddly enough, rejuvenated.

"Better?" he asked as if noting the change.

"I must be. I no longer feel like driving to my mother-in-law's and slicing all of her tires. I think I'm even beginning to feel sorry for her. Just don't tell anyone; I don't want to lose my edge." She realized they had walked quite a distance. "We should turn back," she said.

"Getting tired?"

"Not really. I've caught my second wind. I should do this every night. But that would make it seem like exercise."

They turned around and headed for the house. Wes took her hand. "I forgot to ask. How was your evening with Danny?"

"We had a good time," she said, trying to keep her tone light. She didn't want to have to think about Danny right now. She looked at Wes, noted how dark he looked in the moonlight. Mysterious. "I'm, uh, sorry I lost my temper earlier. I haven't always had a temper. I don't even know when I got it."

"You'll work it out."

They'd arrived at the house. Wes released Annie's hand once they reached the front steps. "How does hot chocolate with marshmallows sound?" she said.

Ten minutes later Annie carried two steaming cups of hot chocolate, piled high with marshmallow topping, to the kitchen table. She'd put out a small plate of chocolate chip cookies that Theenie had made a few days before.

Wes and Annie sipped their cocoa in silence, but she felt his eyes on her. "You're staring."

"I can't help it. You look so pretty with your cheeks flushed from the walk and your hair all mussed. Like you just spent the last hour or so making love," he added, and drained his hot chocolate.

Annie felt something stir inside of her. The attraction she'd felt for him before had intensified into full-blown lust. And something else she wasn't ready to put a name to. She finished her hot chocolate and carried both cups to the sink, where she rinsed them and stuffed them into the dishwasher. She heard Wes get up, and a few seconds later he slipped his arms around her waist and kissed the back of her neck.

"How about a shower?" he said.

She turned. "You mean together?"

"It'll be more fun that way. Besides, you know what they say: it's cheaper if two people shower at the same time."

"Oh yeah?"

He stepped closer and gathered her in his arms, tilted her head up, and kissed her. He ran his hands through her hair, across her shoulders, and down her back before sliding them over her hips and pulling her closer.

Annie tasted the chocolate on his tongue, felt the strength of his arms. She laid one cheek on his chest. He felt safe, like an anchor holding her in place even With all that was going on in her life. At the same time, his kisses turned her thoughts to mush and sent logic right out the door.

After a moment, he pulled back slightly. "Is my timing off?" he asked. "I know you have a lot on your mind."

She took his hand and led him toward the stairs, where he paused to take off his boots, as though realizing they would make too much noise on the bare steps. Nevertheless, the wood creaked beneath his and Annie's feet, and she winced, hoping they didn't wake Theenie. Inside the bathroom, Annie grabbed a couple of towels and washcloths from the linen cabinet.

"We don't need washcloths," he said. "I'd rather wash you with my hands."

Annie's stomach did a little dance at the thought. She put the washcloths back. When she turned, she found him pulling off his shirt.

Wes reached for the buttons on her blouse, undoing them slowly, pressing kisses against her neck and shoulders as he pushed the material aside and let it fall to the floor. He gazed at the lacy bra she wore. "Nice," he said, cupping her breasts with his hands.

Annie could feel the heat of his touch through the fabric, and she stifled the moan low in her throat. Wes reached around and undid the clasp. He tossed the bra aside and pulled her against him once more. Skin touched skin.

He lowered his head and took one nipple in his mouth and tongued it until Annie felt it harden. He moved to the other nipple and teased it as he reached for the button on her slacks.