Guilty of Love by Pat Simmons Read Free Book Online Page B

before helping her to stand. He massaged her
fingers. “You never have to tease me to get what you want, woman.
My kisses have your name written all over them.” Hallison opened
her mouth to reply, but stopped. “Baby, is Calico’s okay, or would
you rather eat at the Bread Company?”
    Coming around the desk, Hallison
snaked her arms around his neck in a hug. “I’ll eat White Castle
gas burgers just to share lunch with you, but I like
Calico’s.”
    “ I had a taste for some
Hallison Dinkins, and the sight of you satisfies my craving for
now. C’mon, let’s eat.”
    Surveying Hallison’s red silk suit, he
whistled when she walked to a wall mirror to finger-comb her hair
and check her makeup.
    The long-sleeve double-breasted jacket
fell below her hips. The matching skirt stopped inches above her
knees with teasing splits on both sides and three-inch pumps had
Malcolm’s heart pumping faster than running on a
treadmill.
    “ You need a bodyguard, Miss
Dinkins, and I’m here to offer my services.” He reached for her. “I
like being with you.”
    “ And, I like you being with
me, too.”
    Hand in hand, Malcolm escorted her to
the downtown Italian restaurant. It was already packed with the
lunchtime crowd. As the waitress led them to a cozy window seat, he
teased Hallison’s ear with his breath. “You look
breathtaking.”
    Looking into his dark brown eyes, she
mouthed her thank you.
    They ordered sodas and decided to
share a house salad and pizza. While waiting, Malcolm reached over
and played with Hallison’s fingers. A woman sitting behind Hallison
distracted him. She made it obvious she was checking him
out.
    Hallison glanced over her shoulder and
lifted her chin in a silent challenge before turning back to
Malcolm. Only her eyes wouldn’t meet his.
    “ She’s not a treat or a
threat,” Malcolm assured her and he stretched across the table,
closing the distance between them.
    Nodding, Hallison looked away
unconvinced. Her beautiful lips were twisted in contemplation. He
squeezed her fingers. “This lunch, this moment is about you and me.
Anyway, Wabash Park is kicking off its weekly summer concerts
tomorrow night. I’d love to have my lady wrapped in my arms while
listening to live music under the stars.”
    As she struggled to answer, Malcolm
wondered if the woman’s boldness had upset her. Maybe now was the
perfect time for them to plan a romantic getaway. He brought her
hand to his lips and placed soft kisses inside her palm. “I want to
be with you. No other woman, but you. You don’t have
competition.”
    “ There’s always
competition, always.”
    “ Not against you, Hali. I
want just you.”
    “ I want to be with you,
too.”
    He inched his mouth closer to her
lips. “They can look, but only you can touch.”
    “ That’s what I wanted to
hear.” She kissed him.
     
    ***
     
    For the past week, Cheney had
struggled to avoid Mrs. Beacon at all costs. So far the woman was
proving to be a pest addicted to pesticide. Lately Cheney had
started to have nightmares. It had nothing to do with her past. It
was the present, and it lived right next door. She had the
strangest sensation that at night Mrs. Beacon’s neck stretched like
a crane and peeped inside her bedroom with eyes like
E.T.
    Tuesday evening, Cheney’s nightmare
became reality. Before one of Cheney’s heels could hit the
driveway, Mrs. Beacon was frantically beckoning for her. Now
what?
    Mrs. Beacon’s hair was worn in two
doughnut-shaped buns above her ears. A red housedress draped her
small frame and Stacy Adams engulfed her feet.
    “ Heney, lace sheer curtains
would be my choice in your front windows. That speaks of elegance
and class.” She scrunched her nose. “Anything, but those cheap
vinyl blinds.”
    Her elderly neighbor had a lot of
nerve. The gossip about the woman was kind. That old bat knows
my name . What’s her problem, anyway? Cheney took a deep
breath.
    The day before, Cheney’s workweek
started off