PassionsPoison Page 8

  Bea cringed. Phillip had grown into a nice man from what her mom had told her, but his work at the pharmaceutical company was his life. She was happy for him, but they were in very different places now. And besides she had a…boyfriend? She spoke to her mother’s back. “I’m glad Phillip stays in touch with you, but that doesn’t help me with Zach. Every time I see him, I want to fuse his body to mine, but I can’t. And I have almost no control with him.”

  Susan turned, eyes sparkling. “Really, that’s a good sign. Let yourself go with him, Bea.”

  She shifted in her chair. Her mom’s simplemindedness irritated her. “How can I do that? I care for him already. I don’t want him sick, or worse, in a coma.”

  Susan sat across from her. “Then tell him.”

  Bea stared. “Oh please. How do I do that? He’ll think I’m crazy, if he doesn’t already.”

  Her mom shook her head. “I told all your fathers and most of them stayed. You need to stick to a few men to get pregnant. That’s how I had you and look—I still have four of them in my life.”

  Bea let her head fall into her hands. How did she explain to a “born-again hippie” that men weren’t into free love anymore? And from Zach’s reaction when she asked about other women in his life, her gut said he wouldn’t share her with anyone. “Damn, Mom, the idea of having sex with anyone besides him turns my stomach right now.”

  Susan reached across the kitchen table and grabbed Bea’s hand. “This is not good. You need to release those poisons. If not on him, then someone else. You can’t hold them in or they’ll kill you. You may not have as much as I do, but you still need to release.”

  Bea leaned her elbow on the table and rested her head in her hand. “Do you think my daughter will be the one? Dare I hope she will be free of the poisons?”

  Her mom squeezed her arm. “I don’t know, honey. But look how far we’ve come since our ancestor created the first poisonous Beatrice. We’ve all survived. Every Beatrice and every flower. Have you thought about which flower you will name your daughter after? I was thinking about it today when I heard you were bringing Zach to dinner. What do you think of Daisy?”

  Bea’s throat closed. All the women of their line had been cursed by Dr. Rappaccini’s need for experimentation with poisonous, beautiful flowers. If he had kept to his flowers, none of them would have had such difficult lives. Her earliest ancestors had killed their lovers to survive. Lily had it easy because Dr. Rappaccini had given her a poisonous mate, but that had strengthened the poisons in her daughter Beatrice, who gave birth to Violet. Bea’s great-great-great grandmother Violet had turned to whoring. She became the whispered black widow killer back in Italy.

  Her mom interrupted her morbid thoughts. “You know, Bea. Once you have a daughter, the need to release the poisons is diminished.”

  “I know, you’ve told me. But I don’t want to have a child who will have the same issues we do.”

  Her mom’s whole body shivered with excitement. “But, Bea, think. It means you might be able to have a daughter and a husband, as long as you conceive right away and he doesn’t mind being sick a lot. And if he dies, you would still have been the first to have married. What does Zach do for a living?”

  Bea froze, stunned. What could her mother be thinking? That she’d have sex with Zach until he died in the hope she’d conceive before then? Oh God, how could her mother think like that? “Excuse me?”

  Her mother had a dreamy look on her face. “Yes, if you married and conceived before having to stop having sex with Zach, then you wouldn’t have to sleep with as many men.”

  Bea stood, catching her mother’s eye. “You want me to be the first to marry and then break my vows. Who are you?”

  Her mom flinched.

  The horror of her mother’s idea refused to be contemplated. “Mom, I’m going to see how Zach’s doing. You might want to take out the lasagna. It smells like it’s burning.”

  She stormed from the kitchen, but stopped when she reached the living room and received the full force of Zach’s smile. Her whole body melted and she grasped the back of Andy’s chair to steady herself. How could she feel so much for a man she’d known such a short time? She didn’t even know his age.

  Zach’s face turned serious. “Are you okay?”

  Andy glanced behind him and rose from his chair. “Come here, Bea. Take a seat.”

  Embarrassed to be caught mooning, she gratefully took his chair.

  Andy placed his hand to her forehead. “You’re a little hot. Are you coming down with something?”

  Bea shook her head. “No, I think it was just the heat in the kitchen. Oh, and you may want to check on Mom. When I left, it smelled like she was burning dinner.” She wrinkled her nose as she met Zach’s gaze. “It may be pizza after all.”

  * * * * *

  They finished dinner without incident. Zach’s occasional touches on her thigh throughout the meal made her anxious to leave, especially when she caught her mother watching him. She couldn’t shake the feeling her mom wanted Zach as a son-in-law more for the experiment of it than for Bea’s happiness. She must be wrong, but sometimes the way her mom looked at him, as if she couldn’t wait to crow that her daughter was the first to have a husband, made Bea uncomfortable. Would her mom even care if Zach died within a year?

  Bea squeezed his hand under the table, reassuring herself the reality was quite different.

  Andy turned from the counter with a tray of brownies in hand. “Dessert, anyone?”

  She preferred to leave and spend more time with Zach. “No thank you. I’m stuffed. Mom, that was great. I’m glad it was only the spillover that burned. Your cheese lasagna is fantastic.”

  Susan blushed at the compliment and Bea admonished herself for having such mean thoughts about her own mother. After all, she didn’t really know what the woman truly meant. Her mother’s thought process had always baffled her.

  “I’ll try one.” Zach took a brownie.

  Andy sat and both he and her mom added dessert to their plates.

  It appeared they would be staying for a few more minutes. She stepped over to the sink and began to load the dishwasher to give herself something to do while they enjoyed the sweets.

  Susan broke the silence. “Bea, please call Phillip. I know he’s happy to talk to me, but all we talk about is you.”

  Bea glanced at her mom over her shoulder. “Why? I’m not that interesting, and he has a great life without digging up our past. I’m sure he misses you more. You were his surrogate mother, after all.”

  She turned back and slammed silverware into the wire rack, peeved her mom would bring up Phillip in front of Zach.

  Zach’s voice had an edge to it. “Who’s Phillip?”

  “He’s one of Bea’s boyfriends.”

  Bea spun to look at Zach. His face was tense and she’d bet a day’s salary his muscles twitched. She rolled her eyes so he’d know her mom was ridiculous. “Was my boyfriend.” She let her sarcasm reign. “We broke up about, oh, more than fifteen years ago.”

  Zach relaxed and she turned back to the sink.

  But her mom wouldn’t let it go. “I don’t know, honey. I think he still has a pilot light on for you.”

  Bea threw the last plate in the dishwasher, though she tried to hold on to her temper. “I don’t think so. Drop it, Mom.”

  She glanced at Zach, but he was busy examining his brownie. Actually, he appeared to be dissecting it.

  She turned back to wipe the sink.

  Her body thrummed at the sound of Zach’s voice behind her. “These are excellent, Susan. Mind if I have another?”

  “Not at all, have a few. If you like, you can take some home.”

  Zach mumbled a thank-you with his mouth full.

  As Bea finished, she realized how quiet the room had become. A sinking feeling grew as she turned around and caught the silly smile on her mother’s face.

  “Mom, you didn’t!”

  “Didn’t what, dear?”

&nbs
p; She focused on Andy, but he avoided her eyes. She peered at Zach. He seemed alert, but he also looked guilty.

  She whirled on her mother. “Damn it, Mom. You can’t keep drugging my friends.”

  Zach grabbed her hand. “Does that mean I’m your friend?”

  The tingles of excitement that raced up her arm at his touch lodged her response in her throat.

  He rubbed his thumb across her palm. “I’d like to be more than friends.”

  Oh God, she would jump him right there in front of her mother and Andy if he kept looking at her as if she were a tall drink of cold water and he had the worst thirst. She glanced at his dish where half a brownie rested and grabbed his plate away, but his hand sneaked around her neck and brought her lips to his in a searing, chocolaty kiss.

  Bea didn’t attempt to resist despite their audience. The second their lips met, he swept his tongue inside her mouth, claiming every inch of it as his. Her head felt light and the hand that held his dish threatened to drop it. She wanted to give in and let him take her. Heat raced through her at the idea of being pressed between the hard table and his warm body.

  Her mom applauded.

  She pulled away and grabbed Zach’s arm. Andy sat still, a happy grin on his face. “I hate to eat and run, Mom, but we have to go.”

  Susan remained seated. She beamed, unconcerned she had drugged another friend. “Bye, honey. Nice to meet you, Zach. I hope you come back and visit soon.”

  Bea murmured, “I bet you do.”

  “What?” Zach halted.

  “Nothing. Let’s go.” She tugged him into the living room, silently cursing her mother. After helping Zach into his coat, she threw her own on and guided him out the door. At the truck, she searched his pockets for the keys, but he palmed them even as his arms came around her. He pushed her back against the truck and captured her lips.

  She melted into him, loving the feel of his leg between hers, rubbing her pussy through her jeans until her clit throbbed with need. His demanding cock pressed into her abdomen.

  She pulled her mouth away, breathless. “We have to get you home.”

  He shook his head. “No, we don’t. Don’t worry, I only ate half a brownie. I snuck the other one back onto the plate when they weren’t watching. It only took one bite to know what was in them. Your mother is a bit heavy-handed with the pot.”

  Bea couldn’t believe it. Thrilled by his cleverness, she pulled his head down for another kiss.

  Eventually, she came up for air. “My hero. Let’s leave before they realize we haven’t departed yet.”

  Laughing, he helped her into the truck and jumped in. Backing down the driveway, he didn’t turn the lights on until they were on the road. “So, your mom’s a druggy. Who’d have thought?”

  She glanced uncertainly at his profile. “I warned you she loved the sixties.”

  He chuckled. “Yeah, you did, which is why I was careful when they offered the brownies. I didn’t think people did that anymore.”

  She rolled her eyes. “I’m afraid a lot of Mom’s friends do.”

  He nodded as if that made complete sense.

  She stared at him. “You think it’s normal?”

  He shook his head.

  She laughed and butted her shoulder against his.

  He brought his arm around her, locking her to his side.

  And then the whole world spun out of control, literally. The truck accomplished a complete three-sixty before it slid across the road and slammed into a snowbank. The silence was weighty and Bea panicked. “Zach, are you okay?”

  His head lay against the driver’s window.

  Oh God, she didn’t know what to do. She resisted the urge to move him. In the back of her mind, she remembered seeing a television show where they were very specific about not moving an accident victim with a head injury. “Zach, can you hear me?”

  His eyes opened and he gazed at her blankly.

  “Zach, are you okay? You hit your head.”

  He reached up and rubbed the side of his temple. “I’m fine.” He gazed at her with open appreciation and something more. But then his eyes widened and he grasped her to him. “God, Bea, are you okay?”

  She chuckled with relief, the adrenaline rush from the scare making her a little shaky. “Me? You’re the one who was knocked unconscious.”

  His own hands trembling a bit, he cupped her face in concern.

  She smiled. “Really, I’m fine. I had your body to cushion me.”

  He relaxed and looked in the rearview mirror. “We were lucky, the snowbank cushioned us and kept us from hitting that oak.” He restarted the engine. “Well, the truck appears okay. I’m sorry, Bea. We must have hit a patch of black ice.”

  “Are you sure you can drive? How’s your head?”

  He wiggled his eyebrows. “Perhaps you should see for yourself.”

  She giggled as he placed her hand on his jeans where the hard length of his cock pushed against her. “I didn’t mean that head.”

  He sulked. “But that’s the one that needs the most attention.”

  Liquid heat seeped through her body as she contemplated acquiescing to his request. She gave a furtive glance out the window. The truck lay off the dark road, facing the patch of ice they’d hit. Giving Zach the oral pleasure he craved while parked on the side of the road where anyone could happen upon them had her body trilling and her blood pounding.

  “Well, what do you say, Bea? Care for dessert? I don’t think I can wait to get you back to my house.”

  Either the adrenaline rush from the accident or his desire for her caused a warm pleasure to surround her heart. She scrambled down the seat to unzip his jeans.

  His hard cock burst forward, making her thankful he didn’t wear underwear. She loved that she could stroke him without wrestling with more clothing. Tilting the tip toward her lips, she flicked it with her tongue.

  His arm tightened on her waist as he growled. “Don’t tease, woman. I’ve been good all night, except that kiss in front of your mom and that was only because I wanted inside you so bad. Take me into that sweet mouth of yours. Now.”

  The desperate need in his voice echoed through his cock as it jumped in her hand. She grasped it hard, sucking the length, surrounding it with a gentle pressure. She stroked it with her tongue and at his moan, her pussy swelled. His need for her was addictive.

  She moved her mouth up and down the hard, silken shaft as if she had all the time in the world. He tasted clean and salty as her tongue found the pre-cum at the top. His texture was smooth with small bumps tracing his veins. She craved the taut ridges of his rock-hard cock. She moaned in pleasure as her labia swelled, making her jeans feel confining.

  Zach’s hand buried into the hair at the back of her head. “I want to take you right here in the middle of the road. You’re so hot. But I doubt I could keep from ripping your clothes apart.”

  She squeaked as she imagined the reckless image of him tearing her shirt from her body and she increased her pace.

  Zach’s hand in her hair stopped her. “Bea, I need you to zip me up and slowly put your head on my shoulder.”

  She started to lift her head, but his hand kept her low. Her need to taste his cum clawed at her and she couldn’t help the whine in her voice. “Why?”

  “We have company.”

  She groaned and tried to breathe slower. Regretfully, she forced his hard cock under the denim and zipped him.

  His hand moved to her back as she sat enough to lay her head on his shoulder. He held her close as the glare of a flashlight reflected off the side-view mirror.

  He lowered the window.

  Light shined into the truck. “Are you folks okay?”

  Zach took a deep breath and looked at the police officer. “We are now. Just a little shaken. I hit a patch of black ice.”

  The flashlight moved to shine on the road and Bea sat up to look. Sure enough, the entire road on a decline with a bend was covered in the stuff. What luck.

  The off
icer turned back and the flashlight lit her face, causing her to squint.

  “Bea?”

  She nodded. “Yes. Who are you?”

  “It’s me, Christopher Ledoux.”

  Bea released a nervous laugh. Great, just what she needed, the guy who wanted to date her in high school and still did. Could the evening get any worse? “Hi, Chris, could you move that light a bit?”

  “Oh yeah, sorry. Are you all right?”

  She could already hear the protective macho voice coming into play. Could the man not see she was in the capable hands of a sexy hunk? “Yes, just scared there for a moment, but we’re fine. This is Zach Woodman.”

  Chris nodded and looked at Zach, but spoke to her. “You were at your mother’s. You didn’t eat any of her brownies, did you?”

  She smiled, though she doubted it reached her eyes. “Come on, Chris, we know better than that.” Let him think Zach was a longtime relationship. Maybe he’d take the hint.

  Chris stared. “Yeah, okay.”

  Zach tensed beneath her. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to try pulling back on the road. Could you wait and make sure we don’t need a tow?”

  The flashlight swung to Zach’s face before taking a measured swing through the cab of the truck. Thankful she had managed to zip Zach’s jeans, Bea dared not check to see if Chris’ appearance had any impact on Zach’s ardor.

  Chris shined the light on her. “Okay, I’ll wait. Glad you’re okay, Bea.”

  “Thanks for checking on us, Chris.”

  He tapped the door twice. “That’s my job.”

  As Chris moved back to his patrol car, Zach put the window up. “Ex-lover?” His tone was colder than the black ice they’d skidded across.

  Bea pulled away and glared at him. “No. He would like to be, but I’ve been turning him down as far back as high school.”

  Zach faced her, his voice anything but contrite. “I’m sorry. It’s none of my business.”

  She peered at him, but his eyes were in shadow thanks to the bright police car lights. She wished she knew what he thought. “That’s true, but I’ll forgive you this time. Next time, I won’t be so easy.”