Vanni came into the room and sat on the side of her bed. “Welcome aboard,” she said with a soft smile. “How do you feel?”
“Like I’ve had sex all afternoon with a brand-spanking-new vagina. I might have to take a long soak in the tub.”
“Was it okay?”
“Indescribable. Like I’ve never really been alive before today. Vanni, he was so good to me…”
“You aren’t falling in love with him, are you?” Vanni asked. “Because I get a sense about Luke, that he might go a little hard on the heart.”
“Yeah, he gave me that talk. He doesn’t like to commit or get tied down.” She laughed again. “The least of my worries,” she said.
“Oh, baby, see—I was afraid of that. I don’t know if you’re up to that.”
“You wanted me to be a virgin forever? If he makes me cry, I’ll get over it, but I have to tell you, he doesn’t treat me like a man who’s going to break my heart. Besides, if he does, haven’t you and I already been through way worse and recovered?” she asked.
“Yeah, we sure have,” Vanni said. “He treated you right, I guess.”
“Don’t tell anyone and ruin his reputation, but he’s the sweetest man I’ve ever known. He’s afraid Uncle Walt is going to shoot him.”
“Daddy sure worries the boys.” Vanni laughed, remembering when Paul was afraid of the same thing.
“Where is everyone?” Shelby asked.
“Paul’s not home from work yet and I don’t know where Daddy is. I’m thinking of starting dinner. Have any ideas?”
“Yeah,” she said, sitting up. “I’m going to soak in the tub for an hour, and then I’m going back.”
“So soon?”
“I can’t help it. I just have to. You and Paul are great company, but I want to be next to that man.” She grinned. “You think Uncle Walt will have a fit?”
“Don’t worry, he may not even be home himself,” she said, shaking her head. “He’s pretty savvy about this kind of thing. He didn’t say too much when Paul was sneaking down the hall into my room. You slip out if you want to. I’ll handle the home team.”
“Thank you, Vanni,” she said.
She had to go back. Not for more sex; she couldn’t take any more. She wanted to know how he’d receive her. Would she be welcome? Was he done with her now, at least for today? She had many curiosities about his world—he warned her not to count on him, then treated her like a queen. He hadn’t promised to love her, but he said such tender, lovely things to her—that she was beautiful, that he’d never had a sweeter experience, that he didn’t want her to leave. Could he say those things and not care?
After a long soak, she went to the kitchen where Vanni was at the stove and Matt was in his high chair. Paul sat at the kitchen table with the newspaper spread in front of him. He was still in his dusty work clothes; she’d been tying up the bathroom. He looked up at her and his smile of greeting changed slowly into a look of surprised recognition, his mouth open slightly. She must be beaming.
She poked through the wine rack and pulled out a bottle. “Think Uncle Walt can part with this?” she asked Vanni.
“Sure. Take it.”
“Don’t wait up,” she said.
“Shelby,” Paul said. He stood up from the table and went to her, draping an arm around her shoulders. “You know if you need anything, anything at all, you can call me.” He dropped a kiss on her brow.
“Wow. There aren’t many secrets around here.”
“No one said anything,” Paul said. “No one had to.”
“Did anyone warn Vanni when you were sneaking into her bed at night?” she asked softly. “Paul, he’s wonderful, but I’m not naive. I understand what kind of man he is.” She shrugged. “Right now, he’s what I want. And he’s very good to me.”
“He’d better be. You can tell him, if he isn’t, he’ll answer to me.”
“I don’t think I’m going to have to tell him that.” She rose on her toes and kissed his cheek. “Now let me be. I have a man in my life. At last.” Maybe not for long, she reminded herself. But at the moment—a good man.
Okay, the joke’s on me, Luke thought.
Shelby had left his bed and he’d taken her home at about four o’clock and he had hated it. He was not nearly ready to let her go. Far from cured of her, he wanted her more than ever. And not just her body, all of her—her sweet laugh, her soft mane of hair, her gentle and secure way of dealing with him and everything else in her life. He had warned himself not to get involved with someone so innocent and it had turned out he was the innocent—not prepared to feel such a rush of emotion. Every time he remembered her voice whispering, “Show me, Luke. I want to learn what makes you feel good,” it sent a ripple of desire shooting through him that almost overpowered him, leaving him weak in the knees.