Condemned (6 page)

Chapter Eight

“I haven’t heard much from him, Andie,” Jesse told her when
he picked her up for dinner. “I talked to him on the phone a few times but he
was always rushing to get somewhere.”

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t keep pestering you like this. I know
I’m being paranoid. Brett may be stressed but he’s capable of taking care of
himself. Tell me to shut up and we’ll talk about something else.”

“I’m here for you, dearest. Whatever you need. Remember?”

She laughed as he’d hoped. “Thanks, dearest. But I met his
mother. She’s great and he doesn’t need another one. Can you tell me how your
day was today or did it involve too much Secret Squirrel business?”

“Oh no. They have you saying it too,” Jesse complained with
mock horror before he chuckled with her. “Actually, I spent the day with Wyatt
and Frank. We were doing some research for a system that we’re quoting on.
It’ll take a few months to finalize exactly what’s needed but we’ve worked with
this guy before. He hems and haws more than I like but he’ll give us the job.”

“Wow.” That’s the first time you actually answered that
question with something I understood.”

“I wish I could tell you more. Don’t think that I don’t
trust you. I know you won’t repeat the things I say but it’s force of habit.
Other than Shane, I haven’t ever talked to anyone about the stuff we do.”

“It really is okay, Jesse. It just feels like you give so
much more to me than I return. You listen to me bitch about everything and
rarely complain back. I feel guilty, like I’m taking advantage of you.”

“Damn, you’re sweet.” Jesse parked the car and kissed her
nose before she could hop out. “Andie, don’t worry about me. If I need to talk,
I know where to find you. Knowing that I have your friendly ear is more than
enough most days. And Frank and I spend plenty of time, griping to each other.”

“What about Wyatt?”

“Hmm, Wyatt. Don’t get me wrong, I think my cousin is the
greatest. He’s not someone I would ever describe as communicative though. Holly
definitely got all the personality in that family. Wyatt may have the ability
to design more than you could ever even begin to imagine but I doubt if we’ll
ever know about most of it. He only speaks when it’s absolutely necessary. The
rest of the time, he’s too busy tinkering with things or planning them in his
mind. Probably both. He doesn’t have time to bother with anything as trivial as
conversation. He’s always been that way.”

“Even when you were young?”

“Yeah. I remember hearing some teachers discussing him one
time. We were in middle school and there was a new science teacher for eighth
grade. She was asking my seventh grade teacher if he was slow or something
since he always stared at her before he would answer a question.”

“What did your teacher say?”

“He advised her to stop asking Wyatt questions. He said that
Wyatt already knew more about science than either of them ever would and there
was no point in forcing him to participate. He explained how far beneath him
her questions were and his hesitation was his way of forcing himself to be
patient with her.”

“Why didn’t he get pushed ahead? He must have been bored.
Wouldn’t he have been happier with more advanced classes?”

“They wanted to but he refused. He insisted that he wouldn’t
go to school at all if they tried to do that to him. He was determined to stay
in class with Frank, where they could keep an eye on me and Holly or he wasn’t
going to play any of their games. It was kind of cool, being his cousin. No one
else ever knew how to act around him. It was funny, watching him be amused by
everyone else, teachers and kids alike.”

“I don’t think I understand him.”

“That’s the beauty of it,” Jesse declared, gleefully. “No
one understands Wyatt. But he would make these comments to Frank and me
sometimes that were so bizarre and hilarious. The anticipation would almost
kill us, waiting for him to say something else but when he finally did it was
always worth it. I think he’s really very witty inside his mind. He just
doesn’t feel it’s necessary to share too often.”

“But Holly’s so open.”

“Yeah. That always added to the confusion. No one could
figure out why there was such a difference between them. Frank and I never
minded. I guess we were used to them so it didn’t seem as strange to us as it
did to outsiders. There were times when she’d walk up to the three of us and
say something even weirder than the stuff he came up with. You should have seen
the way Wyatt would look at her then. It was as if he was extremely pleased
with her or something.”

“I had lunch with her last week. She’s great.”

“Sure is. She called me. She seems fond of you. I think it
goes beyond your willingness to tell her more than I do about how this is going
with us. Maybe I should introduce you to Wyatt again. I know you met him
briefly but he was keeping to himself more than usual that day.”

“Do you think he’d speak to me?”

“Who knows? You’re just about the nicest woman I’ve ever
met. Maybe he’d sense that enough to want to communicate with you. Of course,
I’m not entirely sure he remembers how to talk to a female. His comments in
school made it clear that he paid attention but I don’t think he’s ever spoken
to a girl voluntarily.”

“I’d certainly never want to force him to talk to me. Maybe
we should skip that for now. Since you and I are friends and Holly and I are
getting to be too, perhaps I’ll bump into him sometime.”

“It’s possible unless Brett keeps you all to himself. Maybe
I’ll swing by his house after I drop you off tonight. I’m sure he’s fine. He’s
probably just overindulging in Tish right now.” Jesse instantly wished he could
take back his last statement.

“I’ve already guessed that so don’t you dare try to say
something to recant your comment. I’ve been paying attention to him for months,
Jesse. I know he’s not a monk. As long as he doesn’t play around if we ever get
together, it’s none of my business what he did before me. Or after me either.”

“Andie, how many times do I have to tell you that you’re a
forever kind of girl? Once you and Brett get together, you won’t even have to
consider the possibility of after. The only after will be more of you.”

“What would I do without you? Let’s change the subject and
forget about Brett for an hour. Tell me more about growing up. I’m an only
child and my mother thought most people were beneath us so I didn’t have any
really close friends. I spent most of my time entertaining myself and I love to
hear about other people.”

* * * * *

Brett answered the bell, wondering who would show up on his
doorstep these days. Probably just another religious nut. If it wouldn’t scare
off potential buyers and piss off his realtor, he’d hang up a sign telling them
what he thought about people who tried to shove their religion down your
throat. Why couldn’t they accept that others worshipped in their own ways?

“Tish. Hi,” he greeted her, slightly confused. Their dinner
had gone fairly well but not well enough for him to expect her to just show up
at his house unannounced. “This is a surprise.”

“I hope this is okay. I feel so much more comfortable with
you since our talk. I was thinking about you so I thought I’d be impulsive and
stop by.”

“It’s fine. You’re always welcome here.”

“Thank you,” she said, brushing his chest with her
fingertips as she went by.

“Can I offer you anything?”

Without answering she stepped closer and smiled seductively.
Placing her hands on his chest, she kissed him. Gently at first, then more
deeply.

“Mm, this is nice,” Brett murmured. His mind flashed back to
the first real kisses he had ever had. So much of Tish’s behavior reminded him
of his girlfriend at that time. She’d been beautiful in so many ways, almost
perfect. He couldn’t even remember why they’d broken up but there were moments,
like this one, when he wished they hadn’t.

“Brett.” Tish sighed, slipping her hands under his shirt.

Her fingers were soft, just like the girl’s had been back
then. Every nerve in his body ignited at the feel of her tentative touch. He
wanted her more than he’d wanted anyone since that first time all those years
ago. So much it took all he had to let her set the pace even though he knew he
had to. After her confession of her fear of being thought a slut as she’d once
been called when she’d been intimate with someone at a drunken party in
college, Brett knew he had to let things progress at a rate comfortable for
her.

Tish pushed his shirt from his shoulders and spent time
exploring his chest. Her questioning glances went straight to his heart. She
was so sweet, so innocent, yet capable of driving him wild with just a few
simple touches. His cock was hard and hurting as it pressed against his zipper.
He felt about to burst and she hadn’t even touched him yet. He needed her to
and was ready to beg if necessary. When she leaned in to kiss his nipple she
ran her hand over his groin. He groaned, forcing himself to stay still.

“Oh my,” she whispered, seemingly awed by what she felt.
“You’re so big.”

Brett chuckled. “Thanks but I’m really about average.”

“Don’t be so modest.” She squeezed more firmly and kissed
him again. “May I?” she asked timidly with her hand on his belt buckle.

“Please do.” Brett was enthralled. She was about to free his
rock-hard cock but still so ladylike, so delicate. Just like his first love had
been.

“I’m sorry. Could you help me please?”

“Of course,” Brett agreed instantly. Anything to feel her
slender fingers wrapped around his shaft. He freed his cock and waited expectantly.
Nothing happened. He forced the sexual haze in his mind to clear and focused on
Tish only to see a tear slip down her cheek. “What’s wrong? I won’t hurt you.”

She sniffed. “I know you won’t. It’s not that.” She turned
her back on him and paced to the far side of the room.

Brett felt his cock deflate. “Then what is it?” he asked,
tucking it back into his pants.

“I’m sorry.” Another tear. “I do want you. Too much maybe.”

“Huh?” He was confused. “Then what’s the problem? I won’t
rush you.”

“I know. It’s just— As I said the other night. If I do this,
what will you think of me?”

“That you’re a beautiful woman who wants to be intimate with
me.” He took a few steps toward her.

“Thank you.” She smiled weakly as another tear fell. “You’re
so kind to me. And I’m so horrible to you.”

“You’re not,” he insisted even as he felt the sexual
frustration return.

“I am. I come in here, really wanting nothing more than to
visit and then I can’t keep my hands to myself. I start this and now I’m
stopping like some, some damn cock tease.”

Brett slipped his arms around her, feeling suddenly very
protective. He’d had a few stops and starts with his first too. “You’re not a
tease. I understand.”

“You do?” She held on tightly.

“Of course. You had a bad experience that left a terrible
impression in your mind. But Tish, I’m not that man. I would never criticize
you for following your desires.”

Her back started to shake as if she were crying. “You’re too
good to me. I love you, Brett.”

“I love you too.” It slipped out before he realized what he
was saying. When her shaking grew stronger, he tightened his arms.
“Everything’s fine, Tish. Really it is.”

“No, it isn’t,” she countered into his chest. “You’re
perfect and wonderful. So patient with me. I know you’d never say anything mean
if we had sex but I’m still scared. Part of me wants you so much. But another
part of me is convinced that it’s wrong for me to ever do that again with
anyone other than my husband.”

Without pausing to think, Brett said, “Then marry me.”

“What?” Tish leaned back to stare at him. “What did you just
say?”

“I said marry me,” he repeated. “We’ll be good together.”
Even as he said it, something inside Brett started to argue that no, they
wouldn’t. That doing so would end up being the biggest mistake of his life. He
squelched it, internally insisting that it was the right thing to do. Tish was
a sweet girl. She was beautiful and cultured. Exactly the kind of woman he
should have for a wife. And she needed him. He understood her. And in a little
while, once they spent real time together, the insecure parts of her would
vanish and she’d be relaxed enough to let him see the person she was in her
emails.

“Yes. Yes!” she squealed, giggling like a little girl,
hugging him tightly. “Oh my God, I can’t believe it. I’m getting married,” Tish
exclaimed, breaking out in another round smile. “There’s so much to do. I have
to get started. I can’t wait to live in this house. It’s perfect. So close to
everything for me.” She pushed him away. “I’ll call you tomorrow. Bye, Brett,” she
called as she raced for the door.

Brett stayed where he was, comparing how he was feeling to
what it might be like to be run over by a steamroller. That would probably be
more pleasant. She hadn’t even kissed him. What had he just done?

Brett opened the new bottle he had picked up on the way home
earlier. Halfway through, the bell rang again. Afraid of what he might find
this time, he considered ignoring it. But what if it was Tish, coming by to
tell him she’d changed her mind?

“Oh. It’s you,” Brett headed back to the kitchen without
saying anything additional to Jesse.

“Gee, Brett. Glad you’re so thrilled to see me.” Jesse’s
expression showed concern his tone hadn’t. “What’s up?”

“Congratulate me, Jesse.” He took a swig straight from the
bottle. “I’m getting married.”

“To whom?”

“Tish, of course.”

“Brett, what the fuck?”

“Don’t.” He lowered his head to his hands. “I’m so fucked.”

“How can I help?”

“Got your gun with you tonight? I’d be grateful if you would
just shoot me now and get it over with.”