Page 11

After a fitful night of carnal dreams about Presley, Dominic climbed out of bed and stumbled to the en suite bathroom. A shower helped, and he lingered, letting the hot water massage his muscles. He finally turned off the tap and dried off before shaving. Then he headed to the kitchen to make breakfast. Amber would return soon to watch Gia while he and Presley attended Margy Binder’s funeral.

Dominic grabbed a cup of coffee and savored the burn. Since they’d scarfed down pizza last night, he decided on a healthy oatmeal breakfast with fresh fruit.

“Good morning.”

He turned to see Presley standing there, looking like she belonged in his kitchen. It was all he could do to refrain from going to her, pulling her into his arms, and finishing what she’d started last night.

“Good morning. How did you sleep?”

“Like a rock.”

Lucky her. He’d tossed and turned like a lone sneaker locked in a tumbling clothes dryer. “Good. How does oatmeal sound?”

“Delicious. How can I help?”

“Do you mind chopping the strawberries? Gia loves them.”

“Not at all.”

They worked side by side, joking around while they prepared the food. He found several opportunities to brush against her. Her hair smelled like sunshine and happiness . . . or maybe that was how she made him feel.

When everything was ready, Dom woke Gia and took Major out to do his business. After they ate, they watched television until it was time to get ready for Margy Binder’s funeral. Presley was a good sport, watching Gia’s favorite shows without complaint. In fact, she seemed to enjoy them.

Dom retreated to his room to change while Presley did the same. He dressed in a dark suit with a blue shirt and tie. His shoes were already polished, so he stepped into them. He wasn’t looking forward to the next few hours, but having Presley at his side would make it easier.

Gia was working on the puzzle when he left his room. She waved a hand. “Come help me, Daddy.”

He walked over and kissed her head, keeping his hands on her shoulders. “I will when we get back.”

“I want to go with you.”

“Honey, we talked about this.”

“But I have so much fun with you and Presley.”

“Sweetheart, we’ll be back later and . . . ”

His voice trailed off as Presley walked into the kitchen. His mouth went Saraha-desert dry, and all he could do was stare. She was wearing a black dress that was in no way seductive, but it emphasized her fit body. Heels made her legs look a mile long and incredibly toned. Her blonde hair was down, flowing in gentle waves around her shoulders. Makeup accentuated her blue eyes and creamy skin. How in the hell was he supposed to resist her?

“Daddy.”

He shook his head. “What was that, baby?”

“I said I have fun when I’m with you guys.”

“I know, sweetie. And I’m sorry. We won’t be gone long.”

Amber arrived, and after he reassured Gia they would be back soon, he escorted Presley to his SUV. His knees weakened when he opened her door and caught her scent. “You smell divine.”

“Oh, thanks.” Her cheeks pinkened adorably as she climbed inside the vehicle. He tried unsuccessfully to avoid staring at her legs. “Melody Colton, the wife of one of my coworkers, owns a thriving skincare business. This is one of her fragrances.”

“You wear it beautifully.”

Dom closed her door and his eyes. Good grief. Did he just say she wore it beautifully? He felt as if he was back in junior high, crushing on the prettiest girl in school.

#

Presley was acutely aware of Dominic’s presence beside her. She’d stumbled over her feet when she spotted him in his dress clothes. The royal blue shirt complimented his swarthy skin, pearly white teeth, and black hair. His broad shoulders perfectly filled the suit jacket, and the pressed pants hinted at his muscular backside.

Everything about him turned her on.

Presley had lied to him earlier when she said she’d slept soundly. The opposite was the case. Oh, the bed was comfy. No doubt about that. It was her dreams that wouldn’t allow her to rest. They were all vivid and sensual and left her aching and needy. So many times, she’d almost crawled out of bed and tiptoed into Dominic’s room. How she had resisted, she didn’t know.

Dominic parked in the crowded mortuary lot and came around the vehicle to help her out. She appreciated the support since she rarely wore heels. She was shaky and nervous and wasn’t sure she could do this.

Presley dreaded walking inside. Only the pressure of Dominic’s hand on hers gave her strength. It brought back memories of Gwen’s funeral and the overwhelming sadness and helplessness she’d felt during that dark time of her life.

Dominic held the door for her, and as soon as she stepped over the threshold, the sickly sweet stench of too many flowers in a confined space permeated the air, making her nauseous. The scent was the same as Gwen’s wake. She almost turned around and fled. Dominic must’ve sensed her growing panic because he squeezed her hand. She glanced at him, and he smiled. It calmed her.

She thought of Gia and her comment about Rena smelling like this. It made her sad to know Gia had gone through the same ordeal with her mother. No matter what Gia thought of her, it had to be traumatizing.

The low din of chatter mingled with a mournful tune, which was playing on speakers strategically placed around the room, as they entered the parlor where Margy’s service would take place. God, she hated this.

An older man and woman stood by a closed gold casket greeting visitors. Presley had met Margy’s parents years ago but was sure they wouldn’t remember her. They had aged, as was expected, but the grief clearly etched on their faces made them look decades older.

She and Dom waited in line to pay their respects. When it was their turn, she greeted them by name.

“How did you know our Margy?” her father asked.

“Dominic went to high school with her, and I knew her through my cousin, Gwen Parrish.”

Her mother’s brows narrowed and then raised as recognition dawned. “I remember you. You’re the sweet little girl they called Pep.”

“I am.”

With a sob, Margy’s mother pulled her in for a hug. “Margy adored you.” Her voice was watery, causing Presley’s eyes to fill. She hadn’t been able to cry since Gwen’s funeral and despised her weakness now. It seemed to be all she could do since returning to her hometown.

“I adored her too.”

When it was time to move along, Presley glanced at the blown-up photo propped atop the casket and had to do a double-take. Much like Charmaine and Tamera, she never would’ve recognized Margy. Gone were the long brown locks that had been her trademark. Instead, her hair was short, white-blonde, and straight, cut into an asymmetrical design.

She must’ve stared at it too long because Dominic put his hand against the small of her back to urge her forward. They moved on to let others greet Margy’s parents.

They walked past a woman wearing a black pantsuit with a hat and veil. She wiped her eyes with a handkerchief. “I should be up there, acknowledging the mourners.”

“Excuse me?” Presley asked as she started to pass.

“I’m Janice.” She held out a hand that Presley shook. “How did you know Margy?”

“From high school.”

Janice nodded. “I’m glad to meet some of her older friends. She never talked about those days. I found her yearbooks. Her pictures were all over the pages. She was a cheerleader and seemed popular, but I couldn’t get her to tell me anything. She never wanted to talk about it.”

That was unexpected. “You were friends?”

“Were, being the operative word, friends, being the misnomer. Margy and I dated for three years.”

Presley tried not to let the surprise show on her face. She never would’ve guessed Margy was gay. She’d always had one boyfriend after another. Maybe she’d been compensating for her true feelings.

“I’m sorry for your loss.”

Janice nodded. “I’m overwhelmed with grief and overcome with regret. I’d cursed her and wished her dead, but when it happened, it devastated me.”

“You parted badly?”

Janice emitted a humorless chuckle. “You could say that. Out of the blue, she broke up with me a few weeks ago. We’d been so happy and talking about marriage for a long time. We had plans for a trip to Barbados in a couple of months. I wanted to have our wedding on the beach. Her announcement came out of nowhere, blindsiding me. There was someone else, I was sure of it, but she insisted there wasn’t. I refused to believe she didn’t love me. I thought she’d come to her senses, but then she died.” She covered her mouth as a sob escaped her lips.

“I’m so sorry.”

“Thank you.”

Someone called Janice’s name, and she excused herself. Presley followed Dominic to empty seats near the back row.

“Did she say she dated Margy?”

“She did,” Presley confirmed.

“Huh.”

The room soon filled, and the lights dimmed. Curtains opened to reveal a screen, and images of Margy’s life soon appeared before them, starting when she was an infant. As she aged, there were several shots of the Cheerios, including Gwen. Presley’s heart squeezed.

“Hey, that’s you,” Dominic whispered when a group photo of the cheerleaders appeared with her doing the splits in front of them, all smiles and full of hopes and dreams. More pictures blinked across the screen, showing the different stages in Margy’s life.

The muffled sobs from her mother were heartbreaking, as were the speeches that followed. Presley was emotionally worn out by the time it was time to drive to the cemetery.

“Do you expect Jessie or one of the other women to attend?”

“I would hope so, but no, I don’t think they’ll come.”

The winding road through the cemetery was narrow. Parking meant you would be blocked in by the other mourners, so she instructed Dominic to a less-used lane with enough room for other vehicles to go maneuver around them.

“Do me a favor,” Presley said to Dominic as they walked up a hill to where Margy would be laid to rest. “Try to take pictures of the crowd. I will too, so hopefully, we won’t miss anyone. Sometimes killers like to view their handiwork.”

“Arsonists as well,” Dominic remarked. “We do the same with people who gather to watch fires.”

All the people from the service were in attendance, so it was crowded. They stood in the back where they could monitor people coming and going.

The service in front of the gravesite was quick. The minister said a few words, a man with a saxophone played a haunting tune, and then the casket was lowered into the ground.

Presley surreptitiously snapped photos of everyone in the vicinity. Most of the attendees looked like family or friends. No one seemed out of place. There was no sign of Jessie, Charmaine, or Tamera. She’d hoped they would change their minds about attending, but obviously not.

“Presley, look over there.”

She followed Dominic’s gaze to see a woman standing away from the crowd, peeking around a large oak tree. She was outfitted in all black, with a hat and sunglasses. It was impossible to tell her hair color, and she was too far away to determine features.

The woman noticed their interest and stiffened.

“I’m going to talk to her,” Presley stated.

As Presley started her way, the woman turned and hurried down the hill. Presley kicked off her heels and took off after her, but before she could reach her, she was gone. Presley glanced around the area, but she didn’t see her anywhere. She picked up her shoes and returned to Dominic.

“Did you see who it was?”

“No.” She could rule out Charmaine. The woman hadn’t been big enough. Had it been Jessie? Tamera? Why would they run from her?

By the time she left town, Presley intended to get to the bottom of the Cheerios rift.