Feel Like Makin' Love (Rock and Roll Trilogy #3) (16 page)

Geni too
, let out a gasp, but said nothing. They’d all seen the picture of Carlee in the hat with the field of poppies in the background, but this was the ad for the perfume, and in the larger size it was even more stunning.

“Wow,” Andy said. “Who the hell is that beautiful woman?”

“My beautiful wife,” Matthew said proudly. “I got the call about a week ago, but I wanted to surprise you. Diego Aceveda wants to use this!”

“So this is the ad?” Carlee asked
as he walked the picture over to lean it against a chair at the dining room table so they could all see it.

“It’s the first run, a prototype that we are coming to agreement on. Enhanced
… it’s so clear and crisp. When they sent it to me I immediately sent it for print. It could change, but they don’t seem to think it will. I printed it because I kinda can’t stop looking at it,” he laughed.

He sat on the sofa beside her
, and Carlee snuggled closer. “It’s so beautiful, and I know exactly where we will hang it. Thank you, Matthew, I love it.”

More gifts were exchanged
: jewelry, clothing, music, the usual Christmas kind of gifts, and finally there was one more from Andy to Carlee. She’d noticed that he’d been watching the clock the last thirty minutes or so and wondered. She opened the small box to find a piece of paper.

Log on to the computer
(not the laptop – the big one)
, it read, so she climbed the stairs with Matthew as Andy and Geni followed. She turned it on and waited, looking over her shoulder at Andy. A moment later there was a noise like a telephone ringing, and she looked at the screen. She pressed the button that said
ACCEPT
and waited. A moment later, Nanny and Pops filled the screen.

“Oh my
goodness! Look how beautiful you are!” Nanny cried. As always, Pops sat quietly with a smile on his face. He was a man of few words, but when he did say something, it was genuine, love-filled, and it made you happy to hear it.

“No, look how beautiful
you
are!” Carlee said and felt tears rush to her eyes.

“Andy sent us a new big
ger computer so we can see you!” Pops said.

“Oh, the two of you look so good. I miss you so much!”
Carlee cried.

They’
d gotten to the point where they didn’t feel comfortable traveling. The trip for the wedding had worn them out, so Carlee hadn’t seen them since her trip home in August to go to camp.

Geni watched as Carlee and Matthew shared conversation with them and thought once more what an exceptional woman Carlee was. She’d been gracious and appreciative
of every gift she’d opened. Aside from the picture from Matthew, the two gifts that were the most meaningful to her were the charms and a new computer for Nanny and Pops. She thought about her growing up with the ability to buy most anything she could have dreamed, but it didn’t appear that money was the most important thing to her. She thought about the passion that Matthew had told her about from day one; she’d experienced it herself. She looked around as Carlee and Matthew continued their visit and saw items that she knew they’d picked up at a second-hand store mixed in with the newer ones that they needed. Finally she whispered that she was going to go downstairs. A moment later, she heard Andy talk with Nanny and Pops, and then he came downstairs too.

When he reached for her, Geni stepped into his arms. “Thank you for all of this,” she whispered in his ear as he held her.

“What, all of what?” he asked.

“Just you,” she said
, and he held her tighter.

~ ~ ~

Later, Matthew and Andy were engrossed in something on the TV, and, as Geni prepared the evening meal, Carlee sat at the counter and they talked. “You amaze me,” Geni said.

“I do?” Carlee laughed.

“You do. Excluding the picture of the perfume ad – which is amazing, by the way - the gift that seemed most precious to you was that Nanny and Pops got a new computer, something that wasn’t really a gift to you.”

“
Oh, but it is a gift for me. To see their faces is a treasure... I miss them so much. My biggest fear is that something will happen before I can travel home and see them, hug them, and kiss them.” She had to pause a moment before she could continue. “I look at Nanny sometimes and I wonder what my mama would have been like as an older woman. I feel so cheated sometimes.... Geni, now that you and Papa are a couple, I hope it doesn’t bother you when I talk about my mama.”

“
Carlee, I've already learned that she will be part of my life too. Just as Tom is the father of my boys, he will always be part of our lives. I admit in the beginning I worried about our ghosts because I think I know what Beth meant to Andy, and I know that Tom was everything to me, but I think I know, at least I feel like I know, what Andy and I share. It’s still so new.”

“Do you lo
ve him?”

“
I do,” Geni smiled.

“
He loves you.”

“
And how do you know this?” she asked as she pulled a pan of lasagna from the oven.

“
Just the way he looks at you. It’s that love-look. I see it when Matthew looks at me.” She smiled and added, “I hope he sees it when I look at him.”

Later, lying in bed, wrapped in Andy’s arms, Geni turned to face him. “Look at me.”

“
It’s my pleasure to accommodate this request.” And even in the dark, she saw the smile that teased the corners of his mouth. She looked deep in his eyes, drawing in the warmth of them, that golden hue that seemed to illuminate the room, and she saw it, too. She snuggled closer and lightly pressed her lips to his. “Good night, Andy.”

“Wait,” he laughed pulling her closer. “What was that
about?”

“
I just needed to look at you, and you had to look at me for me to see what I need.”

“
And that was?”

“Lo
ve.”

~ ~ ~

Kyliejo called the day after Christmas, and Carlee was excited to hear from her. “Well, hello my friend!”

“Hello, I just called to check on you.”

Carlee stifled a giggle. “I’m fine, how are you?”

“I feel good.”

“Wonderful! Did you have a good Christmas?” Carlee asked, stepping lightly. She knew Kyliejo was at the age when she herself began to question the existence of ‘Santa.’

“It was great! Santa left me so many presents!
I love to draw and color, and he left me a big box full of colored pencils and a big pad of paper to draw on with them!”

“I would love to see your drawings!”

“I’ll show you,” she said, and her blasé tone had Carlee giggling. “Guess what Mum gave me for Christmas?”

“You’re going to have to tell me because I can’t even begin to imagine!”

“She told me your papa was famous, and she got me a disc of some songs he sings.”

“She did?”

“Uh hunh. I never heard of Traveler, but now I think I love them!”

“I do too!” Carlee laughed.

“I love Zane, but I think I love Traveler more now.”

Zane Rogers
she thought.

“Well, I
better go and let you rest,” she said and Carlee smiled. “I just wanted to make sure you are feeling good,” the girl said.

“I feel even better now,
” Carlee said with a laugh. “Bye sweet friend…”

“Wait, Mum wants to talk to you.”

“Hello; I hope you don’t mind her calling you.”

“Never! I adore her!”

“You’re Andy Stevens daughter, right?” Johanna asked.

“I am,” she replied proudly.

“I read in the London Times about you soon after you were at London Royal, but I wanted to respect your privacy. After I read it, I played some of the Traveler music, and she loved it.” Carlee could visualize Kyliejo listening.

“
Thank you again for taking the time to be kind to Kyliejo.”

“It’s easy. Others were so kind and giving to me when I lost my mom and then my birth
father. It’s easy to return that,” she said.

Matthew sat beside her on the sofa. “That
sounded like a good phone call,” he said when she hung up.

“Kyliejo,” she said.

~ ~ ~

“
Hey, New Year’s Eve is in three days; I was thinking you might want to get out of here for a little while. Would you like to go out to eat or something?”

“No,” she said and turned to face him. “I’d rather we have our own celebration right here.”

“Should I invite Mom and Andy?”

“No,” she said quickly. “We only have a week before treatment starts. I want this time
alone
with you. You can tell them whatever you want, but I just want you.”

“You want me?” he said cocking his head.
His smoky blue-gray eyes, dark and mysterious, looked at her in a way that sent a shiver up her spine.

“Well, I’m not sure that’s what I meant when I said it, but I believe it’ll be all I can think about now,” she replied and melted into his arms.

“Carlee, have I told you that just being in the same room with you makes me want you…”

“I love you like crazy, Matthew Davis.”

“Yes, Carlee, yes you do…”

~ ~ ~

In their flat, Andy and Geni were sitting at the dining room table. They were still in the process of settling in; the dining room was a gathering place, but as Andy remembered, it always had been. Phyllis’s table had been one of the most important places in his life; many conversations had been shared there, and he always loved that place. And then he thought about his own table and the many times he and Carlee had sat talking over many subjects through the years.

“I’m going out on a limb here and assuming that Carlee isn’t gonna want to go
out
to celebrate. I don’t want them feeling obligated to entertain us when I’m sure they would enjoy being alone. How about an evening out; I don’t believe we’ve been on a real date yet?”

“Date?” Geni laughed.

“Yes, date. Let’s go out and have some fun.”

“Why, that
sounds divine! Where should we go?”

“Let me surprise you,” he said taking their empty glasses to the kitchen.

“It seems that you do that on a regular basis,” she laughed.

“Oh, you just don’t know,” he said
looking over his shoulder, cocking his brow in a suggestive way.

“Stop it!” she laughed.

“And if I don’t?” he said taking her hand, pulling her from the chair and into his arms. His left hand found the small of her back and tugged lightly, leaving her body touching his in places that left her breathless. His free hand found its way under her hair, gently caressing her neck, drawing her into him for a kiss. When her breath hitched, the kiss deepened, and he felt her go limp in his arms. He felt passion stir and knew that she wanted him as much as he wanted her. He released her and took her hand, leading her to the bedroom, flipping lights out as they made their way there.

“Please don’t,” she whispered.

He drew back to look at her, questioningly.

“Stop, please don’t stop,”
she laughed.

“Whew, Geni. ‘Cuz I don’t think I could.”

“Good,” she said unbuttoning his shirt, sliding her hands down his chest to the opening of his jeans. She was taking the lead. She was initiating this romantic moment. She wanted to be the one in control.

“Geni,” he said.

“Shh,” she whispered against his neck as her hands pushed the jeans down over his hips. “I haven’t done this in years. Let me. Don’t talk. Just let me…”

Chapter Eleven

With Geni and Andy planning a date for New Year’s Eve, Matthew set about making his own plan for the evening. He called his friend for suggestions, and Cook was happy to advise him.

“I can make this easy for you. I’ll
make it as the dinner special that night. You only need to come and get it.”

“I’m listening,” Matthew chuckled.

“Crab Ravioli in basil cream sauce. We’ll steam a lobster tail or two, and I’ll pack up a salad of arugula and cherry tomatoes with pine nuts and fresh Parmesan, with a drizzle of balsamic vinaigrette. It’ll be perfect! And I’ll ask Anthony to make a Charlotte Russe cake for dessert.

With the meal planned, he
knew the music he wanted – Van Morrison was one of her favorite artists. He thought about the collection she listened to and found a mix that she had. He knew the soothing sounds of Van’s voice would make their surroundings mellow, and he knew that jazzy sound would be perfect. But he knew of the entire mix, “Crazy Love” would be ‘the one.’ He chose the Machus wine and chilled it, and he was ready.

~ ~ ~

Deb stopped by to visit for a bit and stay with Carlee while Matthew ran out to pick up everything for the evening.

“You look good,” Deb told her.

“I feel wonderful! Like scary wonderful! I worry what the future holds, but I’m gonna live and enjoy every second until I’m no longer able. I feel as though I was given a gift – it wasn’t cancer. I can handle whatever it is,” she paused. “I wish they didn’t have to have someone baby-sit me, but I get it.”

Deb thought about all
Carlee’d experienced in her life already, only 21. But she seemed a better person for all she’d been through.
A gift
, she thought.
Doesn’t seem like a gift… but Carlee’s got a different outlook than most of the world.

“Do you know what Matthew has planned?” Deb asked.

“No clue,” Carlee laughed, “and I feel like I can’t think about anything because Matthew has some plan already in place.”

“Whatever it is, the two of you deserve a special evening
; you’ve sure had a time.”

At that moment, the door opened
, and Matthew came in with several big bags.

“What on earth?” Carlee laughed.

“Can’t tell, surprise…” he replied.

“Carlee,
I’m gonna go. I enjoyed our visit. I’ll see you soon. Happy New Year!”

After Deb was gone, Matthew pulled her from the sofa into his arms.
“We’re dressing up,” he whispered in her ear.

“Hunh?” Carlee laughed.

“Dressing up. If I can’t take you out, I want to see you dressed up as if we were.”

“And that means?”

“A dress, Carlee - with one of those surprises underneath…”

“You’re so funny,” she giggled
, interrupting him.

“Carlee,” and just the sound of his voice sent a shiver up her spine. He wrapped her
tighter in his embrace and whispered in her ear, “I want this to be another first date. A sexy, seductive first date…”

“Then that’s what it will be. Sexy. Seductive.
If you’re sure you can handle it,” she laughed. “Shall we shower?”

She heard him groan as she walked toward the
bedroom.

Stripping, she left a trail of clothes
on the way, and Matthew followed anxiously, grabbing them up in her wake.

“No touching,” she said.

“Are you sure?” he asked reaching toward her.

She took his hand
to stop him. “I’m sure.” She turned it to kiss his palm as she sat on the chair to wait for him.

“Carlee, I can’t be this close and not touch you.”

“No touching,” she said again and reached for the shampoo. Squeezing a small bead of it into her hand she massaged it into her hair and reached for the shower nozzle and rinsed, allowing the fragrant suds to slide down her naked body as Matthew watched.

“You’re making me crazy…”

“It’s sexy, right?”

“God, I guess,” he said in a raspy
, whisper of a voice, his hands reaching to her again.

“No,” she said.

“Who are you?” he laughed.

“You said ‘sexy and seductive’… I think I’ve only begun.
” She rose from the chair, “Hand me a towel please, and go get dressed. I’m gonna sit here, dry my hair, and get ready.”

“Carlee…”

“When I’m done I’ll call you. I can sit here, and everything I need is right there in the closet. I can do this!” she laughed and looked over her shoulder. “Now go. How can I surprise you if you’re right here? Go.”

He dressed in a suit and
tie, and Carlee smiled. He sprayed a light mist of what Carlee referred to as ‘Adonis in a bottle’ on himself. She inhaled and closed her eyes, feeling dreamy…

She was naked as she sat at the vanity to get ready.
He leaned to kiss her, and she allowed his lips to touch hers, but when his hands moved toward her, once again she said, “No touching. Go.”

He stood right outside the bedroom door
– waiting. He leaned against the door frame so that he could watch her, because he wanted to make sure she was OK, but he also liked what he was observing.

~ ~ ~

She dried her hair into a mess of curls, nothing pinned up, nothing styled - it was really just a mess of hair that looked like she’d already participated in a wild night of sex. Satisfied with the look, she applied her make-up, giving a smoky look to her eyes. She took Matthew’s cologne and added a light spray just between her breasts, so
she
could smell it.

She
raised her left leg onto the counter. Taking her time, she slowly applied lotion from her toes to her thigh. She lowered her leg and began applying the lotion to her torso, rubbing seductively from her neck to her breasts and then lower. Finally, she put her right leg up and applied the lotion. She dabbed a brush of red lipstick across her lips, and a shiver went up her spine thinking about later.

Oh my god, I’m a tease
, and I’m getting myself all worked up over it.
She smiled at the reflection in the mirror and slowly rose from the stool. “Everything’s OK; I’m just going in the closet.” She knew he’d been watching her, so she stretched her naked body and turned to look over her shoulder in the mirror at her reflection from behind. She moved into the closet where he could no longer see her.

Geezus, she’s killing me, and I think she knows it
, he thought and stepped one step into the room so he could hear her.

She slipped on the tiniest white lacy panties, the tallest black heels, one of Matthew’s white shirts, and nothing else.
She turned to the jewelry armoire and picked a long strand of pearls and large gold hoop earrings. She tousled her hair again, took a deep breath, and slowly made her way out of the closet and stood in front of the mirror. Happy with what she saw, she turned and found Matthew coming around the corner.

“Damn, Carlee. I can’t take it anymore. Who are you?” he asked again with a laugh bordering on a wolf’s
growl, and she shivered.

“Someone who appreciates life and cherishes every
moment. You can kiss me, but you still can’t touch,” she told him, but as he leaned to kiss her, he couldn’t stop himself. His hands went to her cheeks, drawing her close, and as he allowed his fingers to run through her hair, he felt her nipples harden, heard her breath come in pants. As he pulled her close she felt him and pulled away.

“Enough.
”

She turned to walk away
, and with each step she took, Matthew felt like he was losing his mind. He’d lit candles. Soft music was playing, and he had two glasses ready to pour their wine. As he did, she sat on the sofa and crossed her legs, and again he thought he’d lose it right then.

“Wine first, then dinner,” he said as he joined her on the sofa.

“Whatever dinner is, it smells yummy,” she said and watched him watching her. “How’m I doing?”

“Geezus, Carlee, you’
re driving me insane.” He reached to touch her thigh, and she turned to him.

“Sexy and seductive… not yet, Matthew.”

“Just let me touch you,” he said as she held his hand in place.

“Not yet,” she said again. She sunk back into the sofa, sipped the wine, and closed her eyes. “Van,” she said
, “You know what I like.”

“Carlee…”

“Just savor a minute, Matthew. That whole getting ready thing tired me.”

“I want to savor.” He grinned as she opened her eyes and turned to look at him.
“You look so amazing, way better than the dress I envisioned seeing you in. I’m not sure how long I can hold off.”

“Soon.”

~ ~ ~

They finished the w
ine, and “Crazy Love” began. Matthew pulled her to her feet, into his arms, and he danced her to the candle-lit dining room table.

“I love you so much,” he said as he kissed behind her ear, down her neck, to her cleavage. He pulled the chair out at the table for her and
went to the kitchen to serve the meal. Placing her plate in front of her, he leaned to kiss her, his fingers brushing against her breasts. She couldn’t have stopped him if she wanted to – but she didn’t want to. He eased her into a passionate kiss and felt her tremble.

“This
is all so beautiful. Thank you, Matthew.”

He
poured more of the wine. Finally, she took the first bite, and the noise she made to show how good she thought it was had Matthew squirming in his seat again.

“Stop it,” he laughed,
“because I’m on the edge here, Carlee.”

She said nothing, picked up her glass of wine
, and peered into his eyes over the rim of the glass.

“I mean it, Carlee,” he laughed. “Stop it.”

After a few more bites, she pushed her plate aside. “What’s for dessert?”

He pushed his plate aside, took a sip of his wine
, and looked at her; she seemed to have no inhibitions this evening. “Well…”

“Not yet. Cak
e? Something sweet,” she purred.

Two can play this game
, he thought. “It’ll be sweet, alright,” and the words came as a seductive tease.

She laughed a laugh that once more had him
squirming in his seat. “I’ll go dish it up. Cook suggested Anthony make a Charlotte Russe cake.”

He came back with the cake and a spoon
. She suggested they move to the living room. He carried the cake in and went back for what remained in the bottle of wine and grabbed their glasses.

He
’d only brought one spoon thinking he would feed it to her, but it seemed Carlee had other ideas. She stuck her finger into the custardy, pudding-like filling and put it in her mouth.

“
I’m so full but oh my, it’s so good. Just the right amount of sweet,” she said, allowing her head to fall back against the sofa.

“
Just the right amount of sweet,” Matthew repeated. “I know what that tastes like.” And as he said the words she felt heat rise low in her body. He took her finger and dragged it thru the filling once more putting it in his mouth when it was coated.

“
Delicious,” he said as he sucked it off her finger.

Carlee did it again,
and as she sucked in the taste and a breath, Matthew watched her and squirmed again.

He put
the cake aside. Pulling her close he whispered in her ear, “I like this sexy seductive Carlee. I love the Carlee I’ve known all along, and this Carlee makes me anxious - but I don’t want to hurry because I don’t want it to end. I don’t know what brought ‘sexy-seductive-Carlee’ to life, but I love it.”

“Life
, Matthew,” she said, sliding onto his lap. Peering into his eyes, she loosened his tie. “There were moments in the beginning of this ordeal that I didn’t know how much of that was left for me, or how I would feel
if
I came out on the other side. Life has given me a gift, and I’m going to live with no regrets...”

She started
to unbutton his shirt, and he buried his face in her neck leaving a blaze of kisses everywhere his lips touched her skin. He reached for the top button of the shirt she was wearing. It wasn’t the first button; she’d left it open almost to her belly button, giving him peeks throughout the evening when she turned a certain way.

“
No, I’ll do it,” she said, once again holding his hand in place. First, she pushed his shirt from his shoulders and admired a body that she knew like her own. But it was.

She felt him ready as she did, but still she didn
’t hurry. She unbuttoned the shirt the rest of the way, and he ran his fingers along the line of the pearls, touching her skin softly as he did.