Free Broken by Janet Taylor-Perry Page B

fast…"
    "Whoa!" Raif exclaimed, lifting both hands as if in surrender. "No curses, please! I've had enough curses!"
    "What about a love potion?" She jutted her chin toward him and opened her almost black eyes as wide as they would go. "What you got on under them covers?"
    "Would you like me to show you?" he asked, trying to bluff the old woman.
    The wizened old voodoo queen narrowed her eyes to slits. "Yeah, I would. I wanna see if it's enough to keep Neely happy."
    "Colleen, stop it!" cried Neely, her face blazing hot and red. "Colleen, this is Raiford Gautier."
    The old woman glowered at the man. "You purty little Patrick's daddy?"
    "Yes, Colleen," Neely rushed to answer. "Raif, meet my protector, Colleen DuPin."
    "Nice to meet you, Miss DuPin," said Raif, flashing Colleen his perfect smile.
    "Don't try to butter me up!" snapped Colleen. "I don't care whose daddy you are. You break this girl's heart, and you'll be feeling pain in parts you didn't know existed." Colleen huffed from the room.
    Neely followed her. "Colleen!"
    "Somebody's gotta watch out for you. That man's too purty to be real." Colleen left.
    Neely put her forehead against the door and bumped the wood several times. She puffed her cheeks out and blew a raspberry toward where the old woman had just left. As Neely turned around, Raif came out of the bedroom fully dressed, holding a dead cell phone in his hand. In explanation, he said, "I need to get back. Nobody knows where I am." He held up the phone. "I wondered why I didn't get a call or text. Battery's dead."
    "I'm really sorry about Colleen," Neely said nervously and going to the kitchen. "You can't leave without breakfast."
    "I'm fine," assured Raif.
    "At least coffee," Neely insisted starting the coffee pot and suddenly bursting into tears and pounding the counter with the heels of her hands.
    "Whoa!" said Raif coming around the bar. He slipped his arms around Neely and pulled her close as he rubbed his cheek against her hair. He turned her around and wiped the tears from her eyes with his thumbs. "Don't cry," he whispered.
    Through catches in her breath, Neely said, "You must think I'm a horrible person."
    "Why? No. You're amazing."
    "Do you know how long it had been since I was last with a man I wanted to be with? College, Raif." She pushed back with her hands splayed on his chest. "Then, he joined the Navy and met a woman overseas. He's the only other man I ever gave myself to. Raif, I've thought about you since I met you all those years ago. I'm insane. How could I just fall into bed with you?" What Neely did not say was, "Will I ever see you again?"
    "Oh," said Raif gently as he pulled her into his arms again. "Do you have any idea how much I need to be with you right now, how much I want to be here?"
    She laughed a little hysterically. "But there ain't no way you're ever gonna love me. But I shouldn't be sad, 'cause, 'two out of three ain't bad.'"
    "Neely, I don't know what to say. I don't want to leave. You make me feel so alive. Please, tell me I can come back. I need time. Please, give me time."
    Raif took Neely's face in his hands. He kissed her deeply and then whispered, "No tears. No regrets. I will be back."
     

     
    Staring at Raif's back, Neely dried her own tears. She picked up her phone and called Esther.
    Esther answered cheerfully, "Hey, Neely, honey. Tell me something good."
    Neely said almost in a whisper, "You won't believe what happened."
    "Do tell."
    "My fantasy walked in my door last night. He just walked out."
    "Are you serious?" Esther practically shouted. "Did you sleep with him, honey? He's a married man."
    "No, he's not. He's a widower. His wife was the police detective that was killed in Eau Boueuse. Esther, I'm terrified."
    "Why? He's available, and obviously interested. Did he tell you this was a one night stand, honey?"
    "No, he actually said he'd be back. But what if he doesn't come back, Esther? I want to live again, but what if he can't love me?"
    "Honey, then, he's