Finding dandi, p.7
Finding Dandi, page 7
“The woman needs a keeper.” Good thing he was highly qualified for the job. Shaking his head, Lucas pumped his gas. Like he had considered earlier, the best solution was to convince her to go home with him. He could help her, make sure she was okay. The fact that he was completely in lust with her wasn’t a factor. Liar. But, would she do it? Looking up, he saw a car about to back out right on top of her. “Look out, Dandi!” he yelled.
“Hey, watch out lady!”
“Sorry,” she moved to one side and allowed the vehicle to back out. “I’m okay,” she looked back at Lucas. She really wasn’t, but the insulin and food would work fast. She felt sad, it would be so easy to get used to his attention and concern. A neon sign to the left of the store caught her attention. A small, dingy motel sat right next door. Well, that was convenient. A wave of sorrow hit her. She wasn’t ready to say goodbye to Lucas.
When she entered the small market, two salesclerks watched her like a hawk. Dandi couldn’t figure out why until she realized she still had on her Club Tonga stripper shirt. ‘I strip at Tonga’ was not the best recommendation one could display across their chest. “Hi,” she spoke to them anyway and got a smirk for her trouble. Oh, well. She picked out a couple of sandwiches, some juice, a moon pie for Lucas and two chocolate yoo-hoos. Going to the register, she glanced out the window and saw him hang up the hose, “I’ll pay for his gas.” It was the least she could do for the ride.
“Seventy-seven dollars and fifty two cents,” the cashier said snidely.
“Okay,” she used a good chunk of the cash in her purse to pay out. That car had a heck of a tank on it.
“We don’t like your sort in our store,” the older woman said to Dandi under her breath. “I saw you strip in that video, and we saw you on the news. We know who you are.”
The unkind words stung. “I understand. I’m leaving soon, but I need to use your facilities.” Before going any further, she opened the juice and took a big drink. The coolness and the sugar content would help. Now, the shot, then get out before she was thrown out.
Lucas was making his way to the door and he was looking right at her. She waved at him and pointed at the bathroom, wanting to get away from the judgmental women as quickly as possible. “I’ll be back in a second.”
“I think we need to talk,” he called out to her. As he walked up to the counter, he could hear the clerks whispering.
“I’ll go check,” one of them said as she hurried back toward the restroom. What was going on? He didn’t have to wonder long, the frizzy haired employee came barreling back to him. “That floozy you’re with is in the restroom doing drugs. I saw the needle before she shut the door. We don’t allow crap like that in our store.”
Her accusative tone angered Lucas, but her suggestion scared him to death. Could Dandi be on something? She had looked pale. God, what had they done to her? He hurried to the back and knocked on the door. “Dandi?”
“I’ll be out in a minute,” she answered.
“Open the door – now!” Lucas demanded in a loud voice.
“Okay, okay,” she muttered. Dang, he must really have to go. Wasn’t there a boy’s restroom? She opened the door with syringe in hand. “What’s wrong?”
“What are you taking?” He looked at the needle. “Damn, Dandi!”
“Taking?” she was confused – and sick. Why did he look so angry? What had she done? Lucas was eying her hand that held the needle as if she were holding a poisonous snake. “Oh,” with dismay, she realized he thought she was a junkie. “It’s not what you think.”
“Give it here,” he held out his hand. “These people will call the police on you. You’ll end up in jail, anyway. Is that what you want?”
CHAPTER FOUR
With a look of desperate disapproval, he held out his hand for the syringe. “Give it to me.”
She did as he asked. “But I need it, Lucas.”
“No, you don’t. We’ll get you help.”
“Look,” she held up the vial. “It’s insulin.” Her voice cracked and she stumbled, catching the sink. “Please, just leave. I’ll be fine. Thanks for everything.” She turned her back on him.
The truth hit Lucas like a wave. She was diabetic. She wasn’t a drug addict, she was sick. “Baby, I’m so sorry.”
“It doesn’t matter.” Her voice sounded defeated. “Please leave, I need to use the bathroom before I give myself a shot.”
She didn’t look at him, and he felt about six inches tall. “No.” He wasn’t leaving.
“If you’re gonna stay in here, turn around.” Her voice was weak, but she was determined to get her way. Dandi waited until he did as she asked before she pulled her jeans and panties down to sit on the toilet. “Turn on the water in the sink, please. I don’t want you to hear me pee.”
“I don’t know why you’re being so shy. You do remember we made each other cum, just hours ago?”
“This is different.” She sighed as if giving up.
“How?” If she thought this was over, she was sadly mistaken.
“Bathroom stuff is worse.” He could hear her tearing off the toilet paper and flushing. “I need to wash my hands.”
When he faced her again, he could tell she was as weak as dishwater. “Hold on, I’ve got you.” He helped her to the sink. “Where are your testing strips or whatever you use to test your blood sugar?”
“In my duffle bag.”
After she rinsed and dried her hands, he helped her back to the toilet, closing the seat so she could sit down. Kneeling, he opened her bag and found the small meter. “Where do you want to check?” She gave him her hand; he took one finger, held the meter to it and took the minute amount of blood. When she didn’t even flinch, he kissed the tiny spot and looked up to find her watching him intently. “What?”
“You are a very nice man.”
“I don’t feel very nice, but thank you.” He kissed her hand again, just for good measure.
“And you are very handsome.”
Lucas laughed. “You’re sicker than I thought. I think you’re talking out of your head.” It would take but a few seconds for a reading. “Are you hypoglycemic or hyperglycemic?”
“Hypo – low blood sugar.”
She was right. Lucas checked, it was very low. “Sixty-five. Let’s get some insulin in you. How much?” She told him the dose and he readied the shot. .
“You’re good at this.”
“I’m good at lots of things,” he teased.
“I bet.”
His feeble attempt at humor was met by a weak little giggle which went straight to his heart. “Where do you want it?”
“Up here,” she pulled down her pants till her upper thigh was bare.
His hand shook as he pressed the needle in. She was so beautiful and so vulnerable. “There. Now let’s get you something to eat,” without asking, he picked her up.
“I could get used to this,” she sighed contentedly, putting her arms around his neck. Lucas held her down toward the floor so she could pick up her bag and small sack of groceries.
“Me too,” he admitted, as he maneuvered her around in his arms so he could open the door.
The two nosy women were hovering outside the door and Lucas resented their interference and their attitude. He had hurt Dandi. It was his fault for jumping to conclusions, but these women were getting on his nerves. “You were wrong,” he said to them, flatly.
Lucas didn’t bother to explain, they weren’t worth it. “Sit here,” he took her to a small table in the corner. “I’ll be back with something for you to eat.”
She held up her bag, “I already bought some stuff and I’d rather get going, if that’s okay with you.”
“I’m here with you. It’ll be all right. Did you get fruit? You need fruit.” He left her before she could say anything else.
Gathering a banana, a couple of apples and a few other items, Lucas went up to pay for the food and his gas. To his surprise, he was told that Dandi had already paid for the fuel. A tender feeling made his chest ache. She had very little, but she had paid for his gas. He was touched. Over and over again, she was surprising him. When she had thrown herself at that pickpocket to help him, he had lost a piece of his heart.
While Dandi was waiting for Lucas to return, she considered her options. A telephone book was lying on the table and she scanned the yellow pages for a nearby shelter. There wasn’t one. She’d probably have to go to Little Rock or to Oklahoma City, or maybe south to New Orleans. Anywhere would do as long as it was a safe distance away from Romero and Shreveport. Twirling a strand of hair around her finger, she sighed.
Thoughts of starting over were hard to process. All she could think about was how much her heart hurt when she had seen the disappointment on Lucas’s face. He had just assumed she was doing drugs. What he had said about seeing her differently wasn’t true. Her heart sank. What had she expected? His perception of her was still colored by where they had met – at a strip joint where she had been stripping. ‘How much do I owe you?’ the question still rang in her ears.
“Here eat this; you need the natural sugar.”
Lucas spoke behind her, Dandi jumped a little. She took the partially peeled banana from his hand. “Thank you,” she sighed and took a big bite. It was so good.
“You bought my gas. Why did you do that?”
“To pay - for you - giving me - a ride,” she answered around a mouth full of banana.
Lucas kissed the top of her head, she was so cute.
She swallowed and held up a plastic bottle. “Here’s your yoo-hoo, and a moon-pie.”
He took her odd idea of a snack. “You didn’t owe me for a ride,” he chided her as he sat down. “I want to apologize to you, Dandi. You have done nothing to warrant the way I treated you in there. I’m sorry.”
She studied the plastic on the sandwich intently. “There’s no need for you to apologize.” Dandi handed him the ham and swiss and she kept the pimento cheese. “What else could you think? You came to a logical conclusion based on what you knew about me.” The sad truth hit her; she would always be lumped in with people like Patty and Romero for as long as anyone knew of her time at Club Tonga. How long did they keep you-tube videos available? Forever? Great.
Her voice was lifeless, like she had given up hope. He had hurt her. “I didn’t think – that’s the problem. I reacted without knowing the facts. I’m training to be a doctor, I ought to know better.”
“A doctor?” Dandi sighed. “I had a suspicion you were perfect, now I know you are. What are you doing dealing with the likes of me?” All of Miss Etta’s encouraging words about dreams and self-worth seemed far-away. Being beaten down day after day had taken its toll.
“I’m a lucky son-of-a-bitch is what I am. Any man fortunate enough to spend time with you is damn lucky.”
He seemed almost angry. She didn’t know what to say, so she just said. “Thank you.”
“Let me get you a water, You need liquids.” He headed back to the beverage cooler and she followed him with her eyes. Lucas had her head spinning and it had nothing to do with low blood sugar. Since her mom died, her life had been a series of mistakes and missteps; she had taken no time for romance or dating. Sexual attraction was an emotion she had avoided, it had only come out to play when she was alone and fantasizing about the man she would someday love. At the moment, Dandi’s mind was having the devil of a time convincing her body and her heart that Lucas was not that man.
She ate slowly while he paid for her water, letting her imagination take over. How she wished she could have a little more time with him. Several women waiting to check out watched him, making no attempt to hide their admiration.
While one clerk waited on Lucas, the other walked boldly up to her - a young, pimply faced woman with bad teeth. “Just as soon as you get that food swallowed, we want you out of here, Missy. We don’t allow whores in our store.” She pronounced the w in whore, which did nothing to negate the ugliness of her words.
“I’m not a whore,” she said softly.
“All right, that’s enough.” Lucas had returned and heard enough. “You don’t know Dandi, Miss. I’m sick and tired of your sanctimonious bullshit. Either apologize to this lady right now, or I’m going to call the gaming commission for those illegal slot machines you have in your back room.” He wouldn’t have noticed them if it hadn’t been for the squeal of delight emanating from the narrow hall. A woman had run out breathless with excitement over her luck on the penny machine.
A mean hard look passed over the woman’s face, but she did as Lucas asked. “I’m sorry.”
Lucas couldn’t resist a parting shot. “She’s leaving, but it’s not because of you. Dandi is coming home with me. She doesn’t have to fight her battles alone – not anymore.”
What was he talking about? Just a minute ago he had been ready to believe she used drugs. Was she dreaming? He quickly gathered their things and escorted her out to the car. She didn’t have to be urged; she didn’t want to stay around those women any longer than necessary. He helped her in, placed the food in her lap and fastened the seat belt. “How do you feel now?”
“Better.” Her heart was tender; she was still reeling from all that had happened.
“Good, those women were idiots.” He shut the door and headed around to drive. Lucas was a formidable figure. To have him on her side, even for this brief period, was life-changing.
When he sat down and started the engine, she touched his arm. “Lucas, you don’t have to take me anywhere. There’s a motel right here.” She pointed toward the flashing ‘Vacancy’ sign.
“Didn’t you hear what I said in the store, Dandi?” He picked up a lock of her hair and rubbed it between his fingers. “I want you to come home with me.” Lucas knew change was coming to his life. In just a couple of weeks, he’d be moving. Meeting this beautiful woman had not been on his agenda, but the best things in life seldom are. He didn’t intend for this magic to slip through his fingers.
Yes, she had heard what he said, but she felt it was his anger at the clerks talking or maybe his guilt for misjudging her. “You want me to stay at your house for a little while?” She had to make sure she understood.
“Yes, I can’t leave you here. This motel is a dump.” Placing one of his big hands over hers, he stroked the back of it with his thumb. Dandi shivered. “Don’t ask me to do that.”
Dandi’s eyes widened. She wanted so badly to accept, but she didn’t know what was going on, not really. “I’d be okay, you know. I’ve been taking care of myself for a while.”
Lucas cocked his head to one side and studied her face intently. “I know, and I could take you to a better motel and give you money and walk away – except for one very important point.”
“What’s that?”
“I don’t want to.”
He caressed her face. “I want to protect you – that’s a given. But I also can’t get what we shared out of my head. What I felt with you was amazing and I want more. I want you.”
His stark words made her body grow warm. “Nothing like this has ever happened to me before.”
“When you came, your little body trembling in my arms – I can’t forget it, I can’t forget you.”
His words were provocative; Dandi’s pussy throbbed in response. She didn’t really know what to say. “I’ve never felt this way before.”
Lucas smiled. He was getting to her – good. Now, she’d know how he felt. “Eat your sandwich, you’re gonna need it,” taking a knife out of his pocket, he cut up an apple, and opened her yoo-hoo. “I’m not so sure all of this chocolate is good for you.”
“I’m splurging. Besides, I’m a big girl.”
She was amazed to see heat flame in his eyes.
“I’d say you were a woman full grown, ripe and ready for the picking.” Then a look of abject horror covered his face. “Aren’t you?”
Dandi laughed as she wiped pimento cheese from her lip. “Yes, I’m nineteen.”
“Thank God. Let’s get out of here.” Before backing the car, he adjusted the heat and surveyed the area. Romero still bore heavy on his mind, but the likelihood of them being followed after he had taken such a circuitous route was unlikely.
“Good, I’m ready to go. It’s like a new chapter in my life is beginning.”
“Yes, a new start,” he agreed. Dandi was such a breath of fresh air; it was hard for him to reconcile what she’d been through with the seemingly innocent woman before him. Whatever she’d endured, whatever bad decisions she had made, he didn’t believe for a second they were her fault. “Have you been diabetic since childhood?”
“No, I was just diagnosed a few months ago. That’s why I went to work at Club Tonga as a waitress. The wages weren’t much higher than the burger joints, but the tips made up the difference. One of my roommates worked at another club and convinced me that was what I should do.”
Lucas reached into an open bag of lemon drops and took one. “Be a waitress?”
Dandi flushed. “Yes, I never intended to strip. I love to dance,” she clarified with an apologetic smile. “My childhood mentor, Miss Etta, taught me ballet and modern dance; I adore moving to the music.”
“I could tell.” He’d never forget how graceful and amazing she’d looked dancing in that hell-hole.
“What’s your last name?” She wanted to know everything about him.
“Wagner, what’s yours?”
“Alexander.” It was nice to be sharing their personal information. She hoped they shared more. “Lucas Wagner, I like that.” Just the sound of his name caused a stab of desire to sizzle in her belly.
“Do you have any family?” He has asked her that before, but she hadn’t answered. She’d been sick.
Dandi chewed slowly and swallowed. “I have a cousin, an older male cousin, but I haven’t heard from him in years, that’s all. I don’t even know where he’s living now.”
She had no family. Dandi was alone. He didn’t like it, not at all. Choosing his words carefully, Lucas made his case. “It would be better if you laid low for a week or so. I tell you what, in two weeks I have my final interview for a position that I’ve been working my ass off for. If I get it, which I’m pretty confident I will, I’ll be moving. Why don’t you plan on staying with me till then? That will give you time to decide where you’re going and what you want to do.” He thought it sounded logical.
