alien immigration.”
So much for an honest answer. Deflated, she slumped in her chair and dished up some refried beans. “Sure you did.” He did that sometimes—told tall tales to tease her. Yesterday he’d sworn he’d seen the horns hidden under Mrs. Fadious’ wig and rollers, and that Mr. Fadious liked to sit up on the roof at night with a bug light so he could pick off bugs with his long, forked tongue.
Jay had stuck hers out at him.
Fred blew on a forkful of steaming enchilada as he watched her. “What did you want to do tonight?”
She was startled by the question. It had been so long since she’d had someone to hang out with, she wasn’t used to planning her evenings around ‘we’. “I hadn’t thought about it,” she answered honestly.
He smiled a small, secret smile. “There’s someplace I want to take you, then. It’s like a spa, but open after hours.”
She frowned. “A spa?”
“I’m not telling you anything more than that, but there’s a catch. It’s also an exclusive place, so I’m afraid I’m going to have to blindfold you. The owner owes me one, but they don’t want word getting out. This place is only for very wealthy, famous clients. They don’t want word getting out where it is. Paparazzi concerns, you know.”
“You think I’m likely to turn star stalker?” she asked dryly.
He shook his head and started cleaning up their plates. “That was the deal. You game?”
She sighed and blew out a breath. “Okay, but if this turns out weird, it’s the last time I let you surprise me.”
Chapter Six
Fred made a production of tying a scarf over her eyes and leading her outside, she assumed to a taxi. They drove for a while, then stopped and entered a building. She went up steps, then up more steps while Fred held open doors for her, and suddenly she smelled the chemicals that Fred liked to bath in. “Ew! What is that smell?” Just as she was starting to wonder if she’d made a big mistake, he removed her blindfold.
Jay sucked in a breath. “Oh!” She wasn’t sure where they were, but they stood under a star strewn sky in a tree-enclosed building. Two carved totems held fire in their cupped hands on one side of the clearing. Closer to them, giant stone oil lamps shaped like squat, square pillars flamed, providing more light. Two pools reflected the fire, one shaped like a fat crescent moon and the other like a flaming sun. The moon was lined with silver metal and glowed with white light, while the sun was outlined in gold and shown with yellow light. The scent of evergreens cooling earth filled the air, a scent she knew couldn’t come from a bottle or incense, yet they hadn’t driven far. Where were they?
“Impressed?” Fred asked, the light of mischief in his eyes.
“Very. Where are we?”
He shook his finger at her, then placed his hand low on her back and led her forward.
Three cocoa skinned ladies waited within the circle. All were dressed in buckskin leggings and foot long, wide collars made of red and blue beads that dropped to just bellow their breasts. It was the only covering over their chests, which made Jay blush. They had wide beaded bracelets and matching bands around their brows. An inch wide stripe of beads went over the top of their heads, connecting the front to the back and making a kind of headdress over their long dark hair. One lady had a cluster of yellow feathers in the back of her headband and a golden strip across her nose. Barefoot, she glided forward and clasped her hands in front of her, offering them a short bow. “Welcome. Let us serve you.” Her voice sounded like singing bells, making Jay blink. Was there a speaker hidden on her?
Fred kissed her temple. “Let the fun begin.”
They were led to opposite sides of a woven screen. Fred was left to his own devices while all three women came to her side of the screen. One stood by with a towel, the other with a short linen shift. The feather lady poured warm water over Jay’s
So much for an honest answer. Deflated, she slumped in her chair and dished up some refried beans. “Sure you did.” He did that sometimes—told tall tales to tease her. Yesterday he’d sworn he’d seen the horns hidden under Mrs. Fadious’ wig and rollers, and that Mr. Fadious liked to sit up on the roof at night with a bug light so he could pick off bugs with his long, forked tongue.
Jay had stuck hers out at him.
Fred blew on a forkful of steaming enchilada as he watched her. “What did you want to do tonight?”
She was startled by the question. It had been so long since she’d had someone to hang out with, she wasn’t used to planning her evenings around ‘we’. “I hadn’t thought about it,” she answered honestly.
He smiled a small, secret smile. “There’s someplace I want to take you, then. It’s like a spa, but open after hours.”
She frowned. “A spa?”
“I’m not telling you anything more than that, but there’s a catch. It’s also an exclusive place, so I’m afraid I’m going to have to blindfold you. The owner owes me one, but they don’t want word getting out. This place is only for very wealthy, famous clients. They don’t want word getting out where it is. Paparazzi concerns, you know.”
“You think I’m likely to turn star stalker?” she asked dryly.
He shook his head and started cleaning up their plates. “That was the deal. You game?”
She sighed and blew out a breath. “Okay, but if this turns out weird, it’s the last time I let you surprise me.”
Chapter Six
Fred made a production of tying a scarf over her eyes and leading her outside, she assumed to a taxi. They drove for a while, then stopped and entered a building. She went up steps, then up more steps while Fred held open doors for her, and suddenly she smelled the chemicals that Fred liked to bath in. “Ew! What is that smell?” Just as she was starting to wonder if she’d made a big mistake, he removed her blindfold.
Jay sucked in a breath. “Oh!” She wasn’t sure where they were, but they stood under a star strewn sky in a tree-enclosed building. Two carved totems held fire in their cupped hands on one side of the clearing. Closer to them, giant stone oil lamps shaped like squat, square pillars flamed, providing more light. Two pools reflected the fire, one shaped like a fat crescent moon and the other like a flaming sun. The moon was lined with silver metal and glowed with white light, while the sun was outlined in gold and shown with yellow light. The scent of evergreens cooling earth filled the air, a scent she knew couldn’t come from a bottle or incense, yet they hadn’t driven far. Where were they?
“Impressed?” Fred asked, the light of mischief in his eyes.
“Very. Where are we?”
He shook his finger at her, then placed his hand low on her back and led her forward.
Three cocoa skinned ladies waited within the circle. All were dressed in buckskin leggings and foot long, wide collars made of red and blue beads that dropped to just bellow their breasts. It was the only covering over their chests, which made Jay blush. They had wide beaded bracelets and matching bands around their brows. An inch wide stripe of beads went over the top of their heads, connecting the front to the back and making a kind of headdress over their long dark hair. One lady had a cluster of yellow feathers in the back of her headband and a golden strip across her nose. Barefoot, she glided forward and clasped her hands in front of her, offering them a short bow. “Welcome. Let us serve you.” Her voice sounded like singing bells, making Jay blink. Was there a speaker hidden on her?
Fred kissed her temple. “Let the fun begin.”
They were led to opposite sides of a woven screen. Fred was left to his own devices while all three women came to her side of the screen. One stood by with a towel, the other with a short linen shift. The feather lady poured warm water over Jay’s
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