[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
closet. Yep...it was still there! She had managed to
thwart the thief this time!
Yessss, she laughed, jumping up and down.
The best of Lamb of God s heavy metal had come in
handy after all!
Do me a favor, Remy, came Corks voice,
dripping with sarcasm. Get rid of that CD!
Hey, don t knock my music...it scared off the
thief, crowed Remy. He never got the box!
Maybe not, responded Cork dryly, but it
scared the crap out him enough to leave bullet
holes in my wall.
Remy stared at the far wall where moonlight
was shining through the outside boards, bereft of
142
wallboard or insulation, and she started to giggle.
She couldn t help it...it was just too funny.
Cork couldn t help a wry grin at her helpless
giggles. I can t say I blame him. I wonder if he
needs to change his pants too?
That made Remy laugh even harder. I think I ll
keep this CD around, just in case we have any more
visitors, she chortled. I m just glad HE missed my
stereo...unlike someone else I know. She couldn t
quite resist the dig.
Cork glared at her. Just how long have you had
this love affair with that insane racket? The
question was not just rhetorical. If they were going
to have a prayer of getting along, Remy was going
to have to give up heavy metal. He pondered how
soon before he could pinch this CD and dump it in
the bayou.
Remy chuckled. It ll grow on you, just wait and
see. She didn t want to tell him yet that she hated
the stuff. Annoying him with it was too much fun. At
his impatient stare, she changed the subject. Is
Pierre okay? Later, she d set the alarm to the CD.
Having to get up to that racket should curdle the
cream in his coffee.
Yes, he just has a lump on his jaw. He
watched her speculatively, wondering what the
secretive grin was all about. Probably up to no good
he surmised as she waited for him to leave the
room. Smart girl...she didn t want to leave him in
here. As she passed him in the living room, he had
to curtail the impulse to reach out and swat her
impertinent butt. Another time, he promised
himself.
That s good, I m glad he s okay, said Remy
somewhat breathlessly as she passed Cork. If ever
a man had a spanking gleam in his eye, Cork had it
143
and she resisted the urge to sidle past him. He
wouldn t do anything with both their parents in the
house...would he? Just the same, she held her
breath until she was well into the living room and
clear of his long arms before she sighed in relief.
It was much later and everyone had settled
down in the cabin. Pierre and Cork were in the living
room but Cork was restless. If they found the
treasure the next day, Remy wouldn t be staying
with him anymore. He should be relieved, so why
wasn t he? He got up and looked out the window
towards the shanty. Old Joe lay on the hearth, his
legs jerking in his sleep, and Cork supposed he
must be having doggie dreams. But at least he
wasn t baying at lights in the woods and all seemed
quiet outside. He wondered where the man dressed
all in black had got to? Out there somewhere,
watching, Cork was sure of it. What was he looking
for?
What s the matter, son? Can t sleep? Pierre sat
up, his hair awry and stretched with a yawn. It s
pretty late, and we have to get up at dawn.
I know, Dad, grunted Cork, coming back to the
cot. It s just hard to sleep right now, for some
reason.
Wouldn t happen to have anything to do with
Remy now would it? His Dad s knowing gaze bore
into his, and Cork shrugged.
We have nothing in common, not even our
music, Cork said gruffly. I don t have time for a
brat like that in my life.
Love has no rhyme or reason, replied Pierre
with a chuckle. That s the magic of it.
It would take some kind of magic to make us
compatible, that s for sure, said Cork vigorously. I
144
think she deliberately likes to annoy me...in fact,
I m sure of it.
Well, there s always one magic cure for that.
Cork looked skeptical. Don t go giving me that
voodoo stuff again, I don t believe in it.
Pierre chuckled and shook his head. I wasn t
talking about voodoo...I was talking about that old
spankin' magic...works wonders, you know. He
winked at his son.
Cork grinned. That might work for some things,
but not everything. If we aren t compatible,
spanking her ass isn t going to change that. Even
though I d enjoy it of course...she needs more than
she ever had, obviously.
You never know, son. Give it a chance. I never
thought your mother and I would be compatible
either, but we managed. Love makes strange
partners sometimes.
How come you never remarried, Dad?
Never wanted too. Your mother was the only
wife I ever needed and if I couldn t have her, then I
didn t want anybody.
What about Roberta? Cork asked curiously. He
had never probed into his Dad s business before,
but tonight seemed the right time.
Roberta and I have always been friends.
Marriage would never suit us; we are both too old
and set in our ways now.
Cork gave him a sly grin. What about that old
spankin' magic?
Are you kidding me? Pierre chuckled. Roberta
would take a rolling pin to my head if I tried it after
all this time. No, you best set out the way you mean
to go on when you get married. Your mother and I
did and we never regretted it. I guess that s partly
145
why I don t want anyone else. Ain t no one else can
ever take her place.
Cork grunted in surprise. You spanked
Mother?
Many a time; that woman was a handful. His
eyes gleamed in the dim light of the cabin.
Besides, there s a special relationship you develop
that goes deeper than any other when you spank a
woman. Especially when you find the right one...it s
an explosive combination. Love and spanking just
go together naturally...or at least I think so. You ll
have to find your own way, though, son...we all do.
Cork grunted noncommittally and laid down, his
hands behind his head to contemplate his father s
words. He and Remy certainly had an explosive
relationship, that was for sure. She riled him like no
one he had met before, yet he felt the need to
protect her at the same time. He should be glad this
was almost over and she would be leaving, but the
thought of any other man putting his hands on her
twisted his gut. Grimly, he wondered if there was a
potion to ward off love...he d be happy to take it!
With a tired yawn, he tried to relax and get some
sleep. Love...ha! He wasn t in love with the little
brat, just a case of good old fashioned lust!
It seemed like he d barely closed his eyes when
the sound of the raucous music split the air, and
Cork leaped from his cot, his hair awry and his eyes
wild. It was coming from Remy s bedroom...had the
intruder returned? As he crossed the floor and
slammed the door open, the music stopped and
Remy sat on the edge of the bed, yawning sleepily
as if nothing had happened.
What the hell was that? He bit out, wishing he
had his rifle in his hands. Another stereo would soon
bite the dust if he had!
146
Remy blinked innocently. It was my alarm of
course. What did you think it was?
Cork stared at her, mentally counting to ten as
his fingers curled into claws.
You did that on purpose, he accused hotly.
Of course she had, but Remy wasn t going to
admit it. Hey, I needed to get up on time, we can t
miss the sunrise, she protested.
You need the color of the sunrise painted on
your ass, he seethed, but now is not the time.
Consider this a rain check, pipsqueak, cause your
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]