The Life & Death of Jorja Graham Read online

  Corbin gently squeezed my hand and then released it. “I think they are waiting for you.”

  I looked over at him and then back to the men. “Okay, well no matter who owns this house, there are a few things that need addressing and most of them are outside,” I said as I stepped away from Corbin. When our hands released, I felt a tinge of sadness and mentally cursed. What the hell is wrong with me?

  The contractors made notes as I explained the things I felt should be fixed although some of it was obvious. The trees and plants surrounding the house would need a complete overhaul. Everything was overgrown and/or dead from this past year and in order for it to look like it once did, a lot of work would need to be done.

  Thankfully there wasn’t a lot to do inside except for some plaster work and an update to the kitchen, but honestly, those were things that could wait until after the auction. If managed correctly, I had no doubt the outside would be completed by Tuesday. They all wanted to get started at six in the morning, as they needed the rest of today to gather supplies. I cringed at the hour but understood their reasoning.

  The exterminator was the last in the group to head towards the door but I’d stopped him before he made it there. “Excuse me, can you please make sure to check the carriage house in the back, too. I was there last night and there were definitely rats in the back bedroom.”

  The man's eyes lit up. “Can I look now? I have me some traps in the truck. Maybe I’ll be lucky enough to snag a few of them bastards ta'night.”

  I laughed. “Absolutely. I hate those damn things too.” I turned to Corbin. “Besides, I need to show you the items in there anyway…two birds, one stone.”

  “No Miss, two rats one trap,” he responded with a gargle. He must’ve started salivating at the idea of the kill because the chaw began to seep out either side of his mouth.

  “Well, that works too.” I turned back to Corbin and clamped my lips together, stifling the laughter that was threatening to burst out of me. This man was very serious about his job…critter control was no laughing matter in his mind.

  Corbin shook his head at me. I guess he too found humor in the situation or maybe it was just my reaction to “Bubba the Critter Catcher” that had him amused.

  “Lucas, we’ll be back shortly and we’ll be ready for part two of our day.” I gave him a sidelong glance. “Patience, beautiful, you’ll find out soon enough.”

  I threw my hands up in concession. I knew he was in control of how this day was going to go and honestly at this moment, I was okay with whatever he had planned. He and I still had more to discuss regarding this house, but I still had hours to bring him around to my way of thinking. It’d be a challenge but I’ve cracked tougher nuts in my day, or so I’d like to think.

  The carriage house was even quainter in the daylight but still seemed out of place compared to the rest of Rhetta’s things.

  Bubba set traps while Corbin and I talked about the antiques. He once again seemed disinterested in the furnishings but huffed several times at the photos he’d found above the mantel. They weren’t pictures of Rhetta; they were too old to be her but they could’ve easily been one of her ancestors. Their sepia hue with darkening edges made it difficult to tell the woman’s hair color but her eyes appeared haunted, an eerie darkness shaded them, an effect of the flash I’d supposed. Photography sure had come a long way since then.

  “Do you recognize her? Is she one of your family members?’ I inquired.

  Corbin muttered something and then set the frame back on the mantel. “No, she is the self-serving adulteress who stole an heirloom that’d been a part of my family for centuries. The sight of her breeds a certain level of loathing.”

  “Oh. I’m so sorry.”

  “Not your fault. Are you ready to leave?”

  “Sure,” I said as I moved towards the door.

  Bubba waved a hand at us, calling us over to show us the holes in the roof where the rats must have crawled in. He said he’d set traps inside and that he’d put a temporary seal on the outside to block them. Then he muttered something about needing a special kind of mesh to fix it solid, and that he’d be back tomorrow with what he needed. Corbin and I watched as Bubba loaded his ladder into his truck, then drove off.

  We finished walking back to the main house and Lucas stepped out the front door to announce to Corbin that everything was ready. I couldn’t help the fluttery feeling in my stomach as he reached for my hand again. He’d planned an entire day…for me. No one had ever gone to such trouble, well not a man at least. Cat always used to say it was because I put off a vibe that screamed "leave me alone" but I think it was more about not having the time or inkling to deal with immature self-centered men looking for their next conquest. I wanted substance. I wanted a man to put forth the effort and prove he wanted me for more than just my looks.

  I’d once had a man link his arm in mine as soon as we came in contact with anyone he wanted to impress as if I were a show dog on display. And when we were alone, he was all hands, groping and grabbing me, desperate to get me naked. We’d been on a few dates at best and he thought I’d owed it to him since he’d taken me to multiple fancy restaurants. He was quite shocked when I kicked him in the groin and pushed him out my front door. I didn’t care about fancy things, I’d been showered with that all my life and all of it was empty…like cotton candy, the moment it touched your tongue it all dissolved.

  c h a p t e r

  TWELVE

  “Are you ready for my surprise?”

  “I’m not sure I can handle any more of your surprises today, Corbin,” I said as I took a hesitant step toward him. He gave me one of his smug smiles as he took my hand. “You are beyond pleased with yourself today, aren’t you?”

  “When there is something I want, Jorja, I’ll move heaven and earth to get it.”

  “Again, still begging the question as to why me?”

  “Hopefully someday I’ll understand why you cannot see your worth, but for now, I’ll do my best to show it to you from my point of view.”

  The tiny hairs on my arm pricked up and I knew I was screwed. This man had an effect on me and I was apparently powerless to stop whatever it was that was happening between us. I wanted to smack him but I also wanted him to push me against the front door and kiss me until all I could see were stars. I hated that he’d made me feel something when just days ago I felt nothing.

  Lucas opened the door and there in the foyer was a blanket spread out with a wicker basket, a bottle of wine chilling in a sterling silver bucket, and a vase holding at least two dozen flowers. There were trays of fruit and cheese, tea sandwiches, and muffins, as well as two oval ramekins with raspberries and mint delicately placed on top. I knew Corbin was waiting for me to comment, but instead I just stood there, unable to move. I was shocked, as if one of my childhood dreams had been plucked from my memory and brought to life and in the house I’d always wanted, no less. A fairytale come true.

  “How…”

  “I thought about what you might like and hoped for the best. It’s not a five star restaurant but I liked the idea of having you all to myself. Do you like it?”

  “Like it? You’re kidding, right? It’s amazing. I cannot believe you went to all this trouble.”

  “I’m glad it makes you happy.”

  “Thank you,” I said as I went up on my toes and kissed him on the cheek. “It was very kind of you.”

  The front door clicked closed behind us, as Corbin lead us to the impromptu indoor picnic. Lucas was gone and it was just he and I now. My stomach was a bundle of nerves…alone with the man who unsettled me, in a good way of course, but now that we didn’t have a buffer of other people surrounding us, how was this going to go?

  The conversation started out casual as we ate and drank wine. I teased him a bit about the tea sandwiches and he responded with some mumbo jumbo about how the women he ordered lunch from insisted it was the “proper” southern food for a luncheon. I couldn’t help but tease him some more. Cor
bin didn’t seem to care though and I could only assume it was because he got what he wanted, time alone with me, goofy sandwiches and all.

  After we finished tasting a bit of everything, Corbin handed me a spoon and pushed over the oval ramekin–– Crème brûlée. I tapped the hard sugar crust with my spoon. “How did you know this was my favorite?”

  He grinned, the site of it incredibly seductive. “I had a little help with that one.”

  “Which one of the matchmakers was it, Cat, Heddie, or Vivian?”

  “I cannot divulge my sources on the grounds it would incriminate them.”

  “Cute. Then I’ll deal with them later…the traitors.”

  “They only want what’s best for you.”

  “And I’m assuming you think that is you?”

  He leaned back and rested his upper body on his elbow. “Guilty as charged.”

  “I don’t know what to do with you.”

  “I have a few ideas, but we still need to get to know one another so I’ll save them for later.” He winked.

  The afternoon shifted into evening and we were on our way to the last stop on our date. The first part had been so perfect and I couldn’t imagine how Corbin planned on ending this already eight hour adventure. I knew where we were going once we rounded the corner and I saw the flags hanging from the building––Circa 1875 Gastro Pub. It was a quaint place with good food, not that either of us were hungry after our picnic lunch, but they served great wine and cocktails while jazz music played in the background.

  We sat at the bar and ordered a few drinks, wine for me and a single malt scotch for Corbin. He delicately swirled the amber liquid before he took a sip, never taking his eyes off of me as he did. I don’t know whether it was the alcohol or just him in general, but his smile and those lips were having a visceral effect on me. I think he knew it too but he remained a perfect gentleman.

  “Do you ever drop the arrogant façade?” I asked.

  “You think I’m arrogant?” He swirled his glass on the top of the bar again.

  “Yes and no. I think there’s more to you that I’ve yet to see. You certainly aren’t who I initially thought you were, though.”

  “I don’t show many people this side of me. In my business, vulnerability equals weakness and I cannot afford to be weak. I’m a leader, simple as that.”

  Huh, aren’t we quite the pair, a leader and a manager, I thought.

  “And yes, there is more I’d like for you to see. I think with you, Jorja, I can be the man I want to be and not just the man I’m expected to be.”

  I blushed and looked down, biting my lower lip. A muffled growl came from him and I looked up to see him gripping his glass as if he were trying to control himself. I reached over and touched his hand and he made the sound again. I was what was affecting him and I loved it.

  I have no idea what time it was when Corbin walked me to my front door but I’d hoped this night would end with him kissing me. “I had a wonderful day, thank you. I’ve never been so spoiled.”

  “I’d spoil you like this every day if you’d let me,” he whispered, close to my ear.

  I reached for the lapels on his jacket and pulled him closer, crushing my lips to his. Passion erupted between us and we both needed more. His kiss was perfect and all consuming. He pushed my back up against the door and pressed his body into mine. Our tongues swirled and mingled as our desire for each other continued to climb. He broke our kiss and hovered over me with half lidded eyes. “Even better than I imagined.”

  “I don’t want you to go, come inside with me.”

  “I want to, but I promised I would prove myself worthy of you and this is me doing that,” he said as he brushed a piece of my hair behind my ear.

  “But…” My words were cut off with another kiss.

  We kissed until our bodies burned. I could literally feel the heat of his body as he pressed his erection into my hip. I pulled away for a second and let my hands wander over his body. “I want you to…”

  “I will, believe me and I won’t stop at just one time. I want claim you in every way possible until both of us are unable to do anything other than lie in one another’s arms but right now, I need you to see the real me. I want your trust, Jorja. I know why you’ve built those walls against your heart and I hope you’ll continue to let them down. You deserve to be cherished.”

  The mood had shifted from pure seduction to something more, way more than I was ready for. I wanted him and not just because my body was aching for release, but because for the first time in a long time, I wanted to feel loved. I wanted to know what it would feel like to be loved by him.

  I found his hand and intertwined our fingers together. “Then I can wait because I think you are someone I want around for much longer than just one night.”

  He leaned down and nuzzled my neck. “You have no idea what you do to me.” He muttered against the spot just below my ear. “You keep asking me what I’m searching for, it’s you, you are what I need.” He kissed me once again and then stepped away. “I’ll call you in the morning, beautiful. Sleep well.”

  “You too.”

  They were the only words I could think of as he stepped off my porch and walked towards his car. I wanted to run to him and beg him to ease the ache he’d created but that was the wine talking. Corbin was right, if we had a chance for this to be something more than a fling; we needed to do this the right way. I meant it when I said I could wait. I’d been hurt too many times by foolish choices and I wanted to hold out for the fairytale or at least the closest I could come to one. Corbin had made me feel special today and not because of his grand gesture but because he took the time to do something just for me.

  c h a p t e r

  THIRTEEN

  Soft paws tiptoed their way up my body until they nestled around my pillow, then a loud purr announced it was time for me to get up. Lulu’s insistence continued as she swatted my head, a cue for me to wake up and feed her before she withered away into nothing as I slept. I rolled over and stretched out like she does after a nap, moaning and purring myself.

  “Is this what it feels like to sleep like the dead, Lulu?” Her multi-toned meows were a response to my question, I was certain. I’d often thought she was a person reincarnated into this tiny little frame of a cat. She was svelte and gorgeous, as I imagine she was in her former life as well––charismatic to a fault.

  She moved closer, nudging me with her head. “All right, young lady, I’m getting up.”

  We shuffled down the stairs, Lulu’s constant head-butt to my calves prodding me as we went, her way of making sure her bowl was my first stop. I clicked the coffee maker on and then did as she instructed, refilling the food and water in her labeled dishes. “There, now it’s my turn.”

  I followed my morning routine, a routine that was inconsequential yet necessary. It was my way of keeping order and balance in my scattered brain. I always seemed to be thinking a thousand things at one time and this sequence of events kept me on track. Lists and routines were the glue that anchored me.

  I opened the front door to grab the weekend paper but was halted by a stunning bouquet of flowers in varying shades of autumn. They were so beautiful and I knew at once who they were from. I picked them up, looked around just in case he’d just dropped them off personally, and inhaled the scent of the red-tipped yellow roses. Sadly he wasn’t around but as I closed the door and read the card, his words showered me with the attention I knew he’d have given me if he were here.

  “These flowers pale in comparison to your beauty but I doubt nature actually makes anything as exquisite as you. I missed you the moment I stepped off your porch last night but knew it was for the best. I hope you slept well and I cannot wait to see you later. ~Corbin”

  I touched my fingers to my lips remembering what his kiss felt like and wished he was here right now so I could feel them again. This is insane. I was insane for feeling this way about him but he had infected me with his charm and I knew the only cure was
his touch, his low seductive tone as he talked about day to day things, and his kiss––Oh good Lord, his kiss.

  I set the flowers on the counter and tried to shake the thoughts loose from my head. None of this was me. I didn’t fall for men after a few dates and a couple of incredibly sensual kisses. Insta-love was not in my repertoire. I didn’t read romance novels because I typically gagged at the thought of the damsel in distress not being able to take care of herself. Women didn’t need men to fix them, complete them or save them. Relationships should be about mutual respect, not one person dictating how the other person should act or feel. I was all for letting a man feel like the man but I drew the line at being controlled.

  I looked at the clock and decided to try and call Cat but her voicemail picked up instead. “We kissed. It was friggin' amazing and no, I haven’t seen him naked but I might soon,” I said as I laughed just before I disconnected the call. I knew that would drive her nuts, that she'd want details, but would be forced to stew until we could finally connect.

  I sipped my coffee and flipped through the newspaper and wondered what I was going to do with myself today. I had nowhere to be, nothing to do. My aunts and I had hired two college students to manage the shop on Saturday and Sunday. It had been the one thing we all agreed on; we wanted at least two days free but given the nature of a tourist town, still understood the need to be open for the weekend travelers. I finished breakfast, called my aunts to check in, and then laughed all the way upstairs when I finally heard back from Cat. There were two texts. “Finally, but don’t call me again unless you have specifics about what he looks like under that suit. I want all the juicy deets.” Followed by, “I had a dream about you last night and hope you are still okay. Not sure what my dream meant and haven’t had a chance to ask my mom about it. Will let you know if it ends up being anything. Love U. Gotta go.”

  The rest of the day I ran errands, cleaned up the house, and watched a few movies. I was busy but relaxed, which was the whole point of a day off. I even fell asleep on the couch but was jolted awake by the sound of a leaf blower outside my front window. I’d completely forgotten to cancel the landscaper. I hadn’t wanted my house to fall into disarray while I was taking care of my mother, so instead of asking my aunts or Cat to do yard work, this had been my only option.