“They’re paid well to clean huge messes. Trust me when I tell you they’d rather clean some greasy counters than some of the other things they regularly clean up downstairs.” I slide my fingers lower, until I reach the button on her shorts. After untethering it, I pull down the zipper. “You need to wear clothing that gives me better access to your gorgeous little body—all of it. It would serve us both well.” I rub the outside of her shorts where they cover her pussy until she whimpers against my neck. “Go shower, and don’t be too long.” I slap her ass once before nudging her off my lap.
“Delilah.”
She turns, with one hand on the French door.
“Do not—I repeat, do not—take care of that little ache between your legs while you’re in the shower. You won’t like the consequence.”
To my great surprise, she doesn’t respond before she saunters inside.
Fuck. When I planned tonight, I had no idea she was making me supper. A meal that took a lot of thought and effort.
There’s a cruelty to tonight’s plan that seems particularly evil after all her trouble—her kindness. But I can’t change it now. We leave in four days, and I have no idea how shaken she’ll be after what’s in store for her. The mind is a funny thing—unpredictable as hell. She might need all that time to recover.
I’m torn. I want to stay here, well-fed and happy, pour a bourbon, watch a movie, and fuck her into oblivion between scenes. I get up and go over to the edge of the balcony. It’s a clear night and I can see all the way to the ocean. Tonight can’t be about what I want. It has to be about what Delilah needs.
I tighten my grip on the railing as I watch the sailboats bob in the distance. It’s my job to set her up for success. If she fails, she’ll blame herself. Instead of moving her forward, I’ll have dragged her back. That can’t happen. End of story.
While she’s showering, I call housekeeping to come up in forty-five minutes, text Mel to come by at 7:30 tomorrow instead of 5:30—Delilah’s going to need the time—and phone my sister-in-law Gabby, who I’ve known and loved my entire life.
“Hey.”
“Gray! How are you? It’s been ages since I’ve seen you. I think a long lunch, just you and me, is in order.”
“I’m glad to hear you want to see me, because I was hoping JD, Chase, and I could have supper at your house this time?”
“Why? You expect the smell of catfish will still be stinkin’ up your place?”
I laugh. Gabby isn’t a busybody, but she’s never had any problem sticking her nose into my private life, and since Christmas when I showed up at Sweetgrass with Delilah, she’s been relentless. “I expect the smell to hang around for a bit, but that’s not why I’m asking. Although I guess you’ve heard that Delilah and I are trying each other on for size.”
“News travels fast around these parts. But I’m annoyed I had to hear it from Lally. I wouldn’t have expected you to say a peep, but Delilah and I are good friends.”
I had some misgivings about this conversation. Specifically about how much to share with Gabby, but this settles it. I don’t want her all over Delilah. It’s one thing to take the relationship out for a test drive at my brother’s, but it’s another to have Gabby adding to Delilah’s anxiety—even if she means well.
“I was hoping you and Delilah would join us for dinner.”
“Really?” Gabby hesitates. “Must be something pretty special if you’re letting us crash your boys’ night. Have some news you want to share with the family?”
She’s fishing, and I ignore it. “Delilah and I are taking a trip. The relationship’s new. We haven’t tried it out with company yet. The trip is a little out of her comfort zone. I was hoping maybe we could practice on you and my brothers.”
“You were hoping? What about Delilah?”
Gabby doesn’t let anything slide. She’s tough. I guess she has to be to handle my brother as artfully as she does. “Delilah knows I want to bring her to a family supper. But she’s—I bought her a few things to wear on the trip—she’s not comfortable with that idea. It makes her feel cheap.” This still bothers me a lot. It just does. “I’m going to encourage her to wear her new clothes to your house, but it would be helpful if you didn’t make a big fuss.”
“Delilah has a lot of pride. I can see how she’d hate you buying her things. It took me a long time to get comfortable spending JD’s money, and I’d been around it forever. I’ll think about how I can help make it easier for her.” Gabby’s fully on board. “I’m so glad Smith’s giving her some time off. She needs it. Where you going?”
“Visit the Amadi royal family.”
She whistles. “That’s out of anyone’s comfort zone. I can’t believe you’re friends with that guy—the Prince of Assholes. I’ll never understand it.”
When she says it, I cringe. I want to tell her that the prince and I aren’t really friends. But of course, I don’t. “Some relationships are hard to understand from the outside. Take you and JD, for example.”
“Isn’t that the truth.” She chuckles. “I would love to host supper. It makes me so happy that you guys get together every week. Your mother would be ecstatic.”
It’s true. Julia Wilder would be beside herself if she knew her sons looked out for one another—always—and broke bread once a week. We usually meet at the club on Monday nights when it’s quiet.
Gabby’s prattling on about something, but since I wasn’t really paying attention, I can’t respond. “Can I bring something?”
“Only if you want to insult Lally.”
“I’d like to live to see another day.”
“I’ve waited a long time for you two to come to your senses,” she says. “You’re perfect for each other.”
I scoff in response to her happily-ever-after talk. But a lifetime with Delilah doesn’t sound anywhere near as bad as I make it out to be.
After we say good-bye, I think about going inside to pour a bourbon, but decide against it. Tonight is going to be tough on Delilah, and I want to have the presence of mind to know when to stop, and how to support her when it’s over. Whiskey will only make those things more difficult.
The door opens, and I glance up at the gorgeous woman in the doorway. Delilah has on a white sleeveless dress with a zipper all the way down the front that I’m going to enjoy taking off. I’m sure she knew that when she chose it. She’s wearing casual sandals, and not a lick of makeup. Her hair is in a loose braid. She looks like a college kid.
My stomach rebels at the thought of what I have planned.
“You told me to be quick, so I didn’t bother getting fancy.”
I move slowly toward the doorway. “You don’t need to be fancy tonight. And for the record, I like you best when you’re dressed just the way you are right now. Although naked is my hands-down favorite.”
As her smile lights up the porch, it sends the guilt worming its way back into my conscience. We’ve come a long way in a short time. In large part because Delilah is open to doing whatever the mission requires.