Page 69 of Beneath the Blue Moon
“You didn’t show it, either.”
“You said it’s not important.”
“It’s not.But I feel like you weren’t honest with me.”
He cradles my face, and the desperation in his eyesintensifies.“I promise you this was no test, and I’m not playing any games.I wantyou, Casey.More than I’ve ever wantedanywoman.”
Fuck.I should be mad at him, but how can I be when he’slooking at me like that?Ididsay I trust him, didn’t I?Besides, I’mthe one who doesn’t want a relationship; why should I care if he gets boredwith me?We’ll just go our separate ways when this is all over.
“Any more secrets I should know about?”I ask.
“Not right now.”
Not right now?Does that mean he has no secrets now, or Idon’t need to know now?Before I can ask, an older woman interrupts us, placingher hand on his shoulder.
“Ethan!”She gives him a seductive smile.“What a surprise!I didn’t think you would come, though I was hoping to see you.”
She bats her heavily made-up lids and flips her obviouslydyed hair.Blonde isnother natural color.Her dress is two sizes toosmall and at least twenty years younger than her.It clings to her pear-shapedbody like a second skin, and I wonder how she’s able to breathe.She pouts her “putared” lips at him and he cringes almost imperceptibly.I caught it, though.
“Well, I can’t avoid these things forever,” he replies.
When she tries to move closer to him, I clear my throat.Iknow this bitch sees me standing here.He slides his hand around my waistand pulls me close.
“Edna, meet Casey… my girlfriend.”
Girlfriend?I’m his girlfriend?That’s news to me.Huh… Ithas a nice ring to it, though.Edna sputters for a moment before extending herhand.
“I wasn’t aware you were seeing someone,” she says.“Nice tomeet you, dear.”
“Casey, this is Edna, Mayor Burton’s wife.”
“Pleasure to meet you.I met your husband earlier.”
Between mine and Ethan’s references to her husband, I’mhoping she’ll conduct herself like a married woman, but they don’t faze her.
“Yes… well, I’ll see you two inside.”
She gives Ethan a final appraising look before moving off.Thenerve of the woman; she could be his mother!And married no less.Some womenhave no shame.
***Ethan***
Whew!Crisis averted.For now anyway.She wants nosecrets between us, but I can’t tell her everything yet.Taking her hand, I leadher to the ballroom.
“How long has she been trying to get in your pants?”Caseyasks.
“What?”
“The mayor’s wife.How long has she been trying to fuckyou?”
“I don’t know… a couple of years.”
“Optimistic, isn’t she?”
I notice a couple of other women who’ve helped to make theseevents the bane of my existence, and I pull Casey closer.Always observant, shenotices.
“Now I know why you hate these things… and why you broughtme.You’re a hot commodity, Sheriff.”
“That and I hate the politics of it all.”
