Opposite Attraction (13 page)

She dropped her gaze to the ground and he lifted her chin with his finger until she looked at him. "Curtis, I am sorry. "

"
I think you are. I want us to be friends. You mean the world to Zach and my sister. Now here you are intertwined into every aspect o1f my life. " He let out a deep breath and lowered his forehead to hers. "You 've changed. I don 't know what it is but you 've changed. "

She swallowed hard. How much did he know?

"
I am more than the face of Pierpont Oil. "

"
I know. I didn 't then, but I do now. You cemented that in my mind when you helped Regina. "

"
No woman with a child deserves that. "

"
You 're right. " He stepped back and looked at her. "I saw my sister nearly die at the hands of a man. I saw her heart break when she gave up her daughter. You saved Regina from all that. And if she keeps going on the path you set for her you will have saved her life. "

Those damn tears broke free again and they rolled down her cheeks.

Curtis brushed them away. "It feels good to save a life, doesn 't it? "

She could only nod. There were no words for his compassion.

He pulled her into his arms and held her until she 'd composed herself.

"
Curtis, thank you. "

Zach pounded his fist on the hood of the car forcing them to jump apart. "I 've successfully untied everything all by myself. Do you two think you could stop making out in the street long enough to help me move this stuff? "

Simone laughed against Curtis 's chest. She 'd never felt so taken care of in her entire life.

After a morning spent with Zach in control of coordinating everything she understood better why he was so successful. She 'd seen him dealing with men in suits at a meeting, but she now knew he could throw his weight around a work site just as well.

She 'd heard every curse word Curtis knew and Zach 's voice had risen to levels she 'd never heard. But in the end she had a bed, a dresser, a chair, a television, a closet full of clothes, and a place she called her own.

She stood in her new bedroom, which was the size of her closet in her father 's home, and she smiled. Who would have ever thought she 'd be so happy in such a small space.

"
Have you ever slept on a waterbed? " Curtis leaned against the doorjamb.

"
No, I certainly have not. I did not know that was what was in the truck. " She let out a giggle.

"
They can be fun. " He winked at her and she looked away. As much as she wanted to eat up the charm she couldn 't just pull him in the room and roll on the bed. There was something he would certainly notice and he couldn 't find out that way.

"
I cannot believe Regan gave me all these clothes. "

"
Well you have to figure she 's on baby number two, and I think they are far from done having babies. So this is part of her old life. "

Simone turned from him so he couldn 't see the fear she felt creep over her. "It was very nice of everyone. "

Curtis touched her shoulder. "It 's okay to be overwhelmed. You 've never needed anyone before. "

He was right she hadn 't. It was hard to have to be humble.

He turned her around to him and held her against him, again. "You 've gotten involved with the wrong family if you can 't accept graciously. "

She turned her head and rested it against his chest. "Am I involved with this family? "

"
More than I thought I wanted you to be. " She felt him suck in a breath and let it out slow. "I couldn 't get you out of my head. No woman has ever done that to me before. "

"
I hurt you. "

"
More than anyone ever has. " He brushed his lips across the top of her head. "Have you ever forgiven someone? "

"
No. "

"
Me either, so I guess we 're going to have to work around that. " He chuckled. "Let 's start with going out and dancing. "

Simone stepped back and nodded. "I think I would like that. "

"
I 'm going home and getting a shower. I 'll pick you up at seven. "

"
I 'll be ready. "

He turned to leave the room and looked back at her. "Don 't take this the wrong way, because it 's going to come out sounding bad. But I like what Tennessee has done to you already. You 're feeling like a real woman in my arms with those nice curves. " He winked and walked away.

Simone fell to the bed. He 'd noticed too much. She ran her hands over her stomach. It wouldn 't be long before there would be no hiding it. Tonight had to win him over or his comment about not forgiving would force her back to France and she 'd have to gravel at her father 's feet. That wasn 't an option.

The best part about Simone 's new wardrobe was Regan, though still petite and small, was two sizes bigger than she was. She 'd have lots of room for a while in her new clothes. There was a denim skirt, black sleeveless shirt with mother-of-pearl snaps, and a worn pair of boots.

Simone grinned at herself when she looked in the mirror. Though it was almost as if she 'd dressed in a costume, she couldn 't remember a time, even in her own clothes, that she 'd looked better.

Sam knocked on her door. "You look good. "

"
Thanks. I have never worn boots like this before. "

"
Now you 're Southern. " He bit into the apple he held in his hand. "You 're all moved in? "

"
Yes. And thank you for offering to let me stay here. It was very kind of you. "

Sam shrugged a shoulder as he took another bite of his apple. "I ain 't here much. But as long as you 're paying half the rent, stay as long as you want. "

"
Thank you, again. "

"
Oh, and I figure I 'll stay at Cynthia 's tonight. You can bring Curtis back if you want. "

She 'd never contemplated
not
bringing a man back home for the night. Once that had been the norm, but now, she couldn 't even imagine the man she loved coming home to her bed. No. That wouldn 't work. Not yet.

Curtis knocked on the door at seven o 'clock sharp. He 'd never found the need to change his clothes several times before taking a woman out, but this was different. This was Simone.

At first he 'd been excited at the opportunity to spend the evening with her. He 'd showered, shaved, and dressed in his best
going out
jeans. Then he 'd remembered his time with Simone.

They been so comfortable wrapped in each other 's arms. He 'd fallen short of telling her he loved her and he often wondered if it would have made a difference. Probably not. Women like Simone were told that too often. She probably didn 't know what the words really meant. That had caused him to change into casual clothes, sweats, and back into his g
oing out
jeans.

An anxious buzz zipped through him. What was he doing? This wasn 't going to end well. Oh, Simone Pierpont shows up in Nashville and claims she 's going to be independent and on her own. She gives a beaten woman some earrings and begs her best friend for a job. Was that really that heroic?

Curtis stepped down one of the front steps, and then another. This was silly. She was going to run him over the coals again and he 'd be the fool.

He was almost all the way down the steps when Simone finally opened the door. Her hair hung in a low pony tail over her shoulder. She was dressed in his sister 's clothes and she looked absolutely adorable.

The active male in him said to scoop her off her feet, throw her onto that waterbed, and forget the rest of the world.

But the logical man said to smile and keep his distance the rest of the night.

Somewhere in between those two Curtis made it back up the stairs and decided to forget the rest of the world, but to keep his distance at the same time.

Cynthia had said to meet them downtown, but by Curtis 's estimations she 'd started her own party hours earlier. The moment they walked into the club she ran to them, draped her arms over each of them and slurred her adoration for them both.

"
C 'mon. C 'mon. Let 's drink. " She pulled them to her table where Sam already sat.

She fell down in the seat next to Sam. He put his arm around her and held her upright in the chair.

Curtis shook his head. Sadly, he saw many of his coworkers in this same light too often. This was how they forgot the stresses of their jobs.

"
I 'll get us some drinks. Do you want a beer or a glass of wine, " he asked Simone.

"
I would like an iced tea. "

He focused on her. "Iced tea. "

"
Yes. Is that a problem? "

"
Not usually. We 're out to let go of the week. You can 't do that on iced tea. "

She smiled, but it wasn 't a happy smile. It was one he 'd seen her use before. It was her smile that gave her power over anyone who challenged her. "I think I will be happy with the tea. "

He nodded and headed toward the bar.

Curtis placed his orders and turned to find Sam walking toward him. "How long has she been at it? " He nodded toward Cynthia.

"
She was already toasted when I picked her up "

"
What 's that about? "

Sam shrugged. "She 's just unwinding. "

"
You 're getting her another? "

"
O 'Douls. " He laughed. "At this point she 'll never know. "

Sam was good people, Curtis knew that. He could rest assured that Simone would be in good hands living with Sam.

Simone was well into her second iced tea when she thought she might explode. Sam and Cynthia had danced for nearly an hour, but she 'd stayed at the table and Curtis had never left her side.

"
I have to use the ladies room, " she hollered over the music.

"
C 'mon, I 'll walk you. It 's across over there. " He pointed to the back of the establishment.

"
I 'll be fine. " She stood from her stool.

Curtis took hold of her hand. "I don 't trust a single one of those cowboys. You 're mine for the night and I 'm going to keep it that way. "

The statement was just that, a statement, and if she read too much into it she knew she 'd be setting herself up for disappointment.

Because she had no choice, and she had to get to the bathroom, she let him hold tight to her hand as they walked through the crowd. His words still rang in her ears. Did he not trust the cowboys or did he not trust her? She didn 't like the way he 'd put it to her. Did he still see her as someone who would ditch him there and go home with someone else? Well, he must have or he wouldn 't have said such a thing. Then again, why wouldn 't he think that?

When she walked out of the restroom he was standing there leaned against the wall waiting for her. His booted feet crossed at the ankles and his thumbs hooked through his belt loops made him lengthy and sexy. She couldn 't imagine there was another
cowboy
in that bar that could turn her head as the doctor with the deep blue eyes had.

"
C 'mon. " He took hold of her hand. "You owe me a dance. "

"
I cannot dance. " Her voice shook as much as her hands.

"
You can, but let me teach you how we do it in Tennessee. "

He pulled her to the dance floor and slid his arm around her waist. Her entire body quivered as his hand settled against the small of her back. This was how it had all started. The hand, the gaze, her body pressed to his -the kiss which had followed.

She tilted her head and their eyes locked. He 'd felt it too, she was certain.