He then kissed her forehead in a sweet, young, tender way.
“G’night, princess,” he said.
She left him right there. She went into the bathroom to look for her underwear and then realized how much of her shock over having sex with a man she barely knew had wiped out her senses. Her soiled panty wasn’t on the floor. It was on her. It had never been removed during their lovemaking was now stuck to her vagina. Confused, she rushed from the bathroom to her bedroom and pulled it off, and tossed it aside. She closed and locked the door. Delilah went to the shower in the room with Noah, no longer concerned about waking him. She made it cold as possible before standing under the water. What have I done? Why? She didn’t understand her actions. She didn’t understand her attraction to him. She laughed. She slipped back to the shower wall and laughed until tears fell from her eyes. Soon she realized she was crying.
“MAVBIC! MAVBIC! MAVBIIIIIIICCC!”
Maverick head turned, and he opened his eyes. Noah stood at the side of the bed with his Tonka truck. “MavBic.”
Maverick lifted on his elbows. “Hey, buddy?”
He glanced at the door. Delilah stood there, dressed and polished. It was as if last night never happened. And his loneliness in bed without her made him question if it did. Her hair was smoothed again into the long ponytail.
“You wanted to wake up and see him,” she said in a dry, formal manner.
“Delilah—can we talk?”
“Breakfast is at ten. My friend Queen is coming. Not sure what happened last night, Maverick, but trust me, it won’t happen again. Okay? Let’s not even discuss it.”
The words were a dagger to his heart. Delilah could barely look at him. “Come, Noah, let’s go cook breakfast. Auntie Queen is coming.”
Noah smiled and walked over to his mommy to give her his hand. Delilah turned to leave.
“I’ll see you soon,” Maverick said to her.
Delilah glanced at him and then cut her eyes away. It was not with hate or disgust. Her deep soulful eyes said what he needed from the ice queen. He smiled when she left. He sank back into his pillows. He didn’t care what her mouth said. In her eyes, and in a brief moment, her eyes said something more. Last night was real. It wasn’t the end. It was a different beginning.
Chapter Ten
GOOD COP, BAD COP
“Heeeeey, Noah!” Queen cheered. She scooped her nephew up by the waist and tossed him a little in the air. When he was smaller, her toss would send him higher, and Delilah would panic. Noah was a chubby tiny tot who she could barely get over Queen’s head now. Noah squealed with delight and clapped his hands for Queen to do it again. Once caught, he clapped his hands and flapped his arms like he was a bird.
“Fly! I fly!” Noah laughed.
“Nooooaaaah, fly!” Queen sang with him. She tossed him up again.
“Come inside! It’s cold,” Delilah smiled. “And don’t drop my baby.”
“Don’t drop her baby? Who is she talking to Noah? You’re my baby. Ain’t that right?” Queen kissed his face and neck. Noah agreed with giggles as Queen carried Noah high in her arms, and Delilah closed the front door behind them. The snow had fallen in continuous flakes the previous night. The town looked abandoned under the whiteout.
“Wait a second? Is that meat I smell cooking?” Queen wrinkled her nose.
“Bacon,” Delilah replied with a smile.
“For who!” Queen’s eyes stretched. “Bacon? Where? Not here? No mam, not bacon.”
Delilah went to the kitchen, knowing that Queen would follow. She’d used raisin bread to make homemade French toast. Delilah also cut red potatoes with green peppers and onions. She cooked the potatoes crisp in her frying pan. Delilah was about to crack eggs brought onto her ranch from the farmer's market and take the bacon and sausage links out of the oven.
“What’s going on with mommy Noah? We don’t eat the swine. We don’t eat meat. Auntie Queen needs to investigate.” Queen put Noah to his feet. He ran over to his Thomas the Train scooter and began to scoot around the kitchen floor.
“I hope you’re hungry,” Delilah said. “Can you take the meat out of the oven, please?”
When there was no movement in her kitchen, Delilah’s gaze lifted. Queen stared at her.
“What? Something on my face?” Delilah asked.
“You’re making all this for me?” Queen asked.
“Of course not. I told you to come for breakfast with us, didn’t I?” Delilah grinned.
“You punish me anytime you even hear me mention my love for pork or beef. Since when do I get both? Girl, this kitchen smells good! Can Noah have some too?”
“Don’t even try it,” Delilah pointed her spatula at Queen. They both shared a laugh. “Stop being so dramatic and set the table. He’ll be here soon.”
Maverick would arrive soon, and Delilah wanted everything perfect. She thought about the kiss that started it all. It would be best for her and Noah if she forced herself to let it go. The kiss was a one-time mistake. It happened because of the wine. She was sleepy and confused when he surprised her. If she thought about it hard enough, nothing really happened. They attempted sex, and it was awkward and over before it completed. All of it was nothing but one forgettable mistake.
“You okay?” Queen asked.
“Huh,” Delilah answered.
“You in here mumbling and talking to yourself... what happened yesterday?” Queen asked.
“What do you mean?” Delilah asked.
“You speak English?” Queen asked.
“Speak English?” Noah repeated.
Delilah shrugged. “Yeah, I’m just trying to get breakfast done.”
“What happened with this Maverick guy? You said you were going to fix lunch and then lay down the rules with him. Did you?”
“I told you this already,” Delilah mumbled.
“Actually, you didn’t,” Queen said as she set the table.
“He came. He met Noah. We went to the store. I came home and did some work. Firing Jefferson has left me with so much drama at the firm. Then Noah and I went to the cottage for dinner. I came back home, gave Noah a bath, and that was it.”
“Wait! Hold up. Dinner? Where? At what the guest house?”
“That’s what I said,” Delilah scrambled the eggs with a spatula and tried to think of a subject that she could change the topic too. She felt the perspiration gather on the tip of her nose under the inquisition. It spread under her arms also. Queen made her nervous when she sniffed around her for information Delilah purposefully withheld. Her friend could be relentless in pursuit of the truth. There was no excuse or explanation for what happened between Delilah and Maverick. She’d never done anything so brazen like sex in the bathroom with a stranger in her life. It was Goodiva who could screw someone she just met after smoking weed or whatever she drinks. It was Queen who could take a man to bed and throw him out of it after her needs were met only an hour or two later. Not her. Never her.
“You two get along, okay?” Queen asked. “At this dinner, he cooked?”
“We did. He’s respectful. He was more interested in Noah than me,” Delilah shrugged. “I was just there to support Noah.” Delilah turned down the stove and smiled her best smile for Queen.