Plucking the Pearl Afton Locke When Pearl’s sheltered life shatters in the 1930s with her mother’s death, her only option is to move in with poor relatives and shuck oysters in the local plant on Oyster Island, Maryland. Determined to live a morally proper life, the last thing she wants is an affair with a white man, but Caleb, the plant owner, knows a pearl when he sees one. The successful widower is the “oyster king” of the island, but his intense desire for his forbidden new employee, a woman of color, threatens everything he’s built. What begins as a private sexual liaison flowers into strong feelings that don’t fit the social mores of the island. When their secret is discovered, they risk losing everything. They dared to pluck the pearl, but will their love be strong enough to keep it forever?
Ellora’s Cave Publishing
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Plucking the Pearl ISBN 9781419938993 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Plucking the Pearl Copyright © 2012 Afton Locke Edited by April Chapman Cover design by Dar Albert Photography: OLJ Studios/Shutterstock.com Electronic book publication February 2012 The terms Romantica® and Quickies® are registered trademarks of Ellora’s Cave Publishing. With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the publisher, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.® 1056 Home Avenue, Akron OH 44310-3502. Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded or distributed via the Internet or any other means, electronic or print, without the publisher’s permission. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. (http://www.fbi.gov/ipr/). Please purchase only authorized electronic or print editions and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted material. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated. This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously. The publisher and author(s) acknowledge the trademark status and trademark ownership of all trademarks, service marks and word marks mentioned in this book. The publisher does not have any control over, and does not assume any responsibility for, author or third-party Web sites or their content.
P LUCKING THE P EARL
Afton Locke
Dedication This book is dedicated to the town that inspired it—Solomons Island, Maryland. Like many of you, I’ve been hit by the economy and had to majorly tighten the travel budget. Since I get most of my writing inspiration from trips, I was worried the creative well would run dry. My husband suggested a day trip to Solomons, and I was pleasantly surprised by all the hidden jewels we found there—scenic waterfront, small-town festivals, delicious seafood and quaint shops. There’s even a one-footed seagull that insists on bussing outdoor restaurant tables. Most importantly, it has interesting museums. In fact, when I walked into the historic oyster plant, the idea for this story came to me with such force I had to write it. Romance lives, even in hard times. That’s just as true today as it was during the Great Depression.
Acknowledgements Thanks to all the wonderful authors at EC. More than once, I’ve called upon these ladies—most of whom I’ve met at RomantiCon™ conferences—to be a second pair of eyes for the books I write. Since this is my first foray into the Fusion line, I especially needed other input. Again and again, they generously give their time and feedback, making me a better author. So thanks. You all know who you are!
Author Note The setting, characters and events are purely fictional. I took some historical liberties, such as making the roads better than they would have been for that time and area. I also pretended the damaging 1933 hurricane had never happened.
Afton Locke
Chapter One Oyster Island, Maryland 1934 “This can’t be the right place.” Pearl Wilson blinked at the waterfront shack in front of her in disbelief. Please, God, tell me this is not the right place. I can’t live here. She sat in the small motorboat she’d hired at Oyster Island after getting off the steamboat from Baltimore. The boat driver, an old white man with tobacco-stained teeth, jabbed a finger at the slip of paper in her hand. “It is according to that address there,” he said. “Now I haven’t got time to sit here all day while you make up your mind. Are you staying or going?” While the boat engine idled, Pearl’s gaze grew hazy around the edges as she stared down at the address written in her mother’s careful hand. Oh, Mama. Why did you leave me? She’s in a better place now, she reminded herself. The name Johnson painted above the front door with faded letters removed any doubt about this being the wrong place. Despite the tightness in her dry throat, she managed to utter, “I-I’m staying.” What choice did she have? Although her father had abandoned her mother before Pearl was born and died not long after, his family was all she had now. She was about to throw herself upon the mercy of people she’d never met. While the driver got her big suitcase from under the seat, she climbed out of the boat and looked at the cottage. Remnants of peeling paint revealed the small clapboard structure had once been turquoise. A stack of rusted crab pots covered one wall and a small rowboat was tied to a tree. Between two other trees, a sagging clothesline held garments that had seen better days. The outhouse and lack of power lines made it clear the place had no electricity or running water. Her nose wrinkled from the scent of stale marsh mud. This was definitely not Annapolis… The man all but threw her suitcase in the sandy dirt and stuck his hand out for his fare. She couldn’t help wondering if he would have helped her out of the boat and brought her luggage to the front door if she were white. From her dress pocket, she pulled out the envelope of money her mother had given her before she’d died and gave most of it to the driver. Now that she’d completed her journey from Annapolis to Baltimore to Calvert County in southern Maryland, she only had a few pennies left.
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The man grabbed the money from her and took off without as much as a word of thanks or farewell. A breeze, chilly and damp, blew in from the water and raised goose bumps on her arms. She was about to wonder if anyone was home when the front door swung open, revealing a gaunt, broad-shouldered older woman in a patched-up, tan dress. Despite the tight bun at the back of her head, equal bits of black and white hair danced around her craggy, scowling face in the breeze. Pearl’s heart dropped to her feet. This woman must be Aunt Wilma. What had she expected? Surely, she’d known her mother wouldn’t be standing there with her roundcheeked smile and generous curves. The woman looked her up and down, taking in her blue jersey dress with lace collar, silk stockings and matching pigskin pumps, scowling even more. “Who are you?” Although her legs felt frozen in place, Pearl pushed herself forward and extended her hand. She cleared her throat, wondering if she would ever find her voice again. It was hard to compete with the gurgling of the creek and a tree full of noisy grackles roosting for the night. “Pearl. Pearl Wilson, Randall’s daughter. Are you Wilma?” The woman crossed her bony arms instead of shaking her hand. “Yes. What you wants with us?” Pearl sighed. She’d known this wouldn’t be easy but didn’t kin mean anything to this hard-looking woman? Maybe she should have rubbed dirt all over her dress and arrived barefoot. Although her clothes were hand-me-downs from Annabelle Stuart, the daughter of her mother’s employer, they must’ve made her look like royalty in the eyes of this poor woman. “My mother was a housekeeper in Annapolis. She…passed away.” Pearl had to struggle to keep her voice steady. Her loss was as recent as a fresh wound. “Why didn’t you take her place?” Wilma asked. “Our employer lost his home.” Darn this awful Depression. If it hadn’t happened, she’d still have a home. Mama would still be alive… Unable to look at her aunt’s forbidding face any longer, Pearl gazed at the creek. The setting sun brushed the water with molten orange. She finally looked back at her aunt. “You see, I have no place else to go.” “You got any money?” Pearl shook her head. “I spent what little I had getting here.” “Can’t afford no new mouth to feed,” the woman replied. “You should’ve found you a new job in Annapolis. You made the trip here for nothing.”
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Panic mushroomed inside Pearl’s stomach, making her feel lightheaded. What kind of family didn’t take in one of its own? She’d tried to find another housekeeping job but times were so hard it seemed no one was hiring. As she took a few steps toward the door, her high heels twisted in the unstable sand, nearly knocking her on her face. “Please, Aunt Wilma. I’ll work hard to earn my keep.” In all her life, she’d never dreamed she’d one day find herself begging to live in a shack. Wilma looked out over the water and back at Pearl. “It’s getting near dark. I reckon you can spend the night.” “Thank you.” At least it was something. She was exhausted from traveling for hours. Tomorrow she would be rested and could figure out what to do more easily. As soon as she stepped inside, the heel of her shoe went through a hole in the weathered floorboards. It was a far cry from the expensive rugs and polished parquet floors she was used to walking on. Inside, the low-ceilinged cottage looked even smaller than it had from the outside. The tiny windows let in little light and an oil lamp burned from the corner while dampness covered her skin like a blanket. Several shelves lined the walls, filled with dusty, forgotten items. Penetrating the heavy scent of grease from past cooked meals, a pot of beans bubbled on a cook stove of black iron. Pearl’s stomach rumbled, reminding her of how little she’d eaten today. An ill-looking older man sat slumped in a rocking chair with a tattered quilt over his legs. He blinked in her direction. “Who have we here?” he asked with a rusty-sounding voice. “Everyone,” Wilma announced, “this is Pearl Wilson, Randall’s daughter. She’s traveled from ‘Napolis and is spending the night with us.” “You sure are a pretty little thing. Come over here and let me get a better look at you,” the man said. “I’m your Uncle Charlie.” Three others, all barefoot, entered from two small rooms in the back. She walked over to take the man’s extended hand, which was calloused and bent with rheumatism. His gesture of kindness nearly brought tears to eyes after what she’d been through recently. Wilma introduced the others. “The older ones are your cousins, Leroy and Sadie. This here little one is Molly Bingham, the neighbor’s child. She likes to visit Charlie.” Her cousins looked a bit younger than Pearl but not much. Molly looked no older than ten. All their clothes were faded and patched. Pearl smiled at them. “It’s wonderful to meet you all.”
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Although Leroy shot her a gap-toothed grin and Molly walked over to inspect her shoes, Sadie gazed at her with as much hostility as Wilma had. She even looked like a younger version of her mother. Wilma turned her back to tend to the beans. No one invited Pearl to sit down or offered her any refreshment. No wonder her mother had never taken her to visit these rude people. Or were they cold because she never had visited? Thankful she had family and a place to stay, she took a deep breath, determined to make the best of things. Molly ran a finger over the ankle strap of her shoe and looked up at her with big, dark eyes. “How come they’re so soft?” “Because they were made that way,” Pearl replied. “You talk funny.” “That’s how educated folks talk, sweet pea,” Wilma told the girl. Finally hearing some warmth in the woman’s voice surprised her. No matter how gruff she acted, at least she was capable of nurturing. “I grew up in a household with a girl my age,” Pearl explained. “She had a tutor and I learned to read her books.” “Well, weren’t you the lucky one,” Wilma said, sounding as hard as she had at first. Molly peered into her face. “And your eyes are a funny color too.” Pearl bit her lip. Her green eyes had attracted attention more than once. Now she wished they were brown so she’d look like everyone else. “She must have some white blood in her,” Sadie remarked. Wilma shot Pearl a glance that would have withered a plant. “It didn’t come from our side of the family.” To Pearl’s knowledge, she was no more white than they were but didn’t see any point in debating it with them. “Sit down, Pearl,” Charlie told her. “You look wore out. Sadie, get the girl some water.” Pearl removed her gray cloche hat and sat at the small wooden plank table near the stove. Sadie dipped a battered tin cup into a bucket of well water and slapped it down in front of her without a word. To her relief, they shared their supper with her. Although the beans and hunk of cornbread didn’t compare to the fine chicken and fish she was used to eating in the Stuart household, it tasted wonderful. If only the little girl would stop staring at her. Did she really look that unusual? “You have fancy hair,” Molly said. “I seen pictures of film stars with hair like that.” “Why, thank you,” Pearl replied. Although she’d worn it parted on the side and rolled up at ear level for over a year now, she wasn’t trying to look like a film star. Mama had just always taught her to look her best. “Sounds like foolishness to me,” Wilma grumbled.
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During the meal, Charlie asked her a lot of questions, coaxing her to reveal her dismal circumstances as she had to Wilma outside. “Of course you’ll live with us,” Charlie said. Wilma scowled as she stood and gathered the empty plates. “Can you shuck oysters, Pearl?” She’d done a good deal of housekeeping work and cooking to help her mother, especially as the woman aged, but not this. “No, Mr. Stuart always bought them already shucked,” she replied. “That’s too bad,” the woman said, not sounding as if she cared what happened to her. “You could’ve gotten yourself a job at Rockfield’s.” Pearl frowned. “What is Rockfield’s?” “Rockfield Oyster House,” Leroy explained. “Me, Mama and Sadie work there shucking oysters.” “It’s September, the start of the season,” Charlie said. “They’re bound to be hiring.” “It’s not hard,” Leroy added. “I can teach you.” She looked down at her hands, wondering if she’d ever have a chance to play a piano again. Would she even be able to after shucking oysters? It didn’t matter. Mama always said work came first. “I’ll try,” she replied. While Sadie placed the stack of dirty dishes in a basin of water, Wilma put her hand on Pearl’s shoulder, her hard fingers digging into muscle. It was the first time she’d touched her and it wasn’t kind. “You try real hard tomorrow, girl, because the only way you can stay here is if you bring in that money.” “Yes, ma’am.” Charlie wiggled his bent fingers. “My oyster shucking days are over, I’m afraid.” “He stays home and catches crabs,” Leroy told her. “And a big fish once in a while if I’m lucky,” the old man added with a wheezy chuckle. “You can sleep in Sadie’s room on a pallet,” Wilma said. “Oh, Mama,” Sadie complained, glaring at Pearl. “There’s hardly any room back there as it is.” “Do as I say, girl.” Wilma brushed crumbs off the table. “Pearl is kinfolk.” Pearl knew it would be nothing like the room she and her mother had shared overlooking the Annapolis harbor. Closing her eyes, she could almost feel the soft cotton sheets of her twin bed and smell her mother’s powdery scent. She only hoped sleep would take her quickly tonight so she could, at least for a few hours, escape the nightmare her life had become.
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***** After riding in the Johnson’s wobbly rowboat over the choppy surf of the Patuxent River the next morning, Pearl was glad she hadn’t eaten much oatmeal at breakfast. Besides, Wilma didn’t look as if she wanted her to eat at all until she brought home some wages. Leroy, who had done most of the paddling, tied the boat up at Oyster Harbor beside a bunch of others and helped the ladies out. It was so early it was barely light out. Pearl gazed at the heart of Oyster Island. A series of white clapboard buildings nearly faded altogether into the pearly-gray overcast sky. The fresh scent of the sea was stronger here than at the Johnson’s place on Crab Creek. It was louder here too. A foghorn sounded as regularly as a heartbeat and water slapped the hulls of large boats. The road hummed with cars and trucks making deliveries. It reminded her of Annapolis, of home. She followed the other three to a white, sprawling building that backed to a small waterway coming off the river. A sign reading “Rockfield Oyster House” in black letters stood above the double front doors. Please let me be good at shucking oysters, Pearl thought as she made sure the pins in her hair were secure. Sadie plucked at her sleeve. “Don’t expect that dress to look so fancy after today.” Although Pearl had worn one of her plainest dresses, striped cotton, it still looked nicer than the baggy blouse and skirt Sadie wore. Having a friend here would be nice but the other girl was obviously too jealous of her to consider it. When they entered the building, the oatmeal shifted uncomfortably in Pearl’s stomach. They walked through a large room littered with piles of oysters and more in wire baskets. Leroy pointed to a set of open double doors. “That there’s the unloading dock.” When they entered an interior doorway, nothing prepared her for the sight laid out before her. A large room with a low ceiling and concrete floor bustled with more people than she could count. A row of wooden, waist-high stalls, open at the back, lined both sides of the room. People stood in them, bent over big concrete tables. Oyster shells were piled up around the stalls. “This here’s the main shucking room where we work,” Leroy explained. Pearl had never heard such a din in her life. Aside from so many voices and the clatter of knives and shells from shucking, men shoveled discarded shells into wheelbarrows and others dumped basket loads of whole ones onto the tables. An open door in the back revealed the same unloading dock, bringing in the hum of a boat engine and smell of fuel. She was least prepared for the smell. Oysters had never appealed to her. The scent of them here was so thick her eyes watered with nausea. 11
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I can’t do this! But she had to. That’s all there was to it. Breathing slowly and digging her nails into her palms, she tried to block everything out. Then she looked at her family for instructions. “Leroy,” Wilma said, “you take her to get a job. The rest of us gots to get started.” The only white person Pearl saw was a sour-faced man walking around stiffly and slowly with his hands clasped behind his back. “That’s the floor supervisor,” Leroy told her while adjusting his plaid cap. “You be sure to look sharp whenever he comes around. Now let’s get you a job.” Part of Pearl hoped there weren’t any jobs left. Within fifteen minutes of visiting a small office with a stony-faced white woman working behind a desk, Pearl had a knife, gloves, apron, pails and a job. Leroy found two open spots, led her to one and took the other. Gingerly, she stepped into her wooden stall. “Why does everyone stand in these?” “Keeps your feet off the wet floor and the shells from scratching your legs,” Leroy replied. Her hands shook as she laid her round-handled stabber knife and three metal pails on the table and put on the apron to protect her clothes. A square wooden stabbing block, slanted in thickness and scored with scratches, sat in front of her. Leroy directed her to put a full glove on her left hand and a fingerless one on the right. The man on the other side of her had a wiry build and a reddish cast to his medium-dark skin. His hands flew so quickly over his work they were almost a blur. Mesmerized, she watched him slide the knife into the oyster, pry it open, cut out the blob of meat and throw it into one of the three pails beside him. Before she knew it, he had another oyster on the block already open. She looked back to Leroy. “I can’t possibly do it that quickly.” Her cousin laughed. “Neither can most people. Jimmy Clark is the fastest shucker in the plant.” After Leroy introduced her, the man paused to give her a wide smile and shake her hand before resuming his work. As the woman in the office had explained, they got paid by the gallon, not by the hour. “Why does everyone have three buckets?” she asked Leroy. “For three different sizes of oysters,” he replied. “One for standards, which are the smallest, one for selects, which are bigger, and another for counts, which are the biggest.” Pearl gripped her aching forehead after he explained how to identify the sizes. “I’ll never remember all this.” “The round side of the oyster goes down first,” Leroy explained. “It fits the depression in the block, see?”
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Next, her cousin taught her how to stab the knife in what was called the bill of the oyster to cut the muscle so she could open it up. On her first try, the knife skittered across the table. On the next, she nearly sliced off her finger instead of the oyster. “Keep at it,” Leroy said as he watched what she was doing. “It just takes practice.” Fifteen minutes later, he looked into her pails and pulled out a remnant of oyster. “Oh, Pearl. You’re tearing most of these up. The oyster meat has got to come out as whole as you can get it. Otherwise, it won’t count.” Pearl set down her knife and wiped her perspiring forehead on the back of her forearm. Why had her life come to this? She was willing to work hard but she couldn’t seem to do this. All the practice in the world probably wouldn’t help either. Besides, Aunt Wilma wouldn’t allow her much time for practice. She needed her wages. It took most of the morning to fill her pails even halfway. She couldn’t even fill one bucket, let alone three. Leroy brought her to a window where a man weighed her oysters and wrote down the information in a book beside her name. By the time their lunch break came, Pearl’s fingers were so stiff, sore and cold she could hardly move them. Working with the slimy, unappetizing blobs of oyster meat all morning had shriveled her stomach into a ball. Even though they had washed their hands before the meal, the smell of oysters still clung to her. It seemed as if the endless slime did too. She only ate the stale cornbread and cheese Wilma grudgingly gave her for enough strength to get through the afternoon. She had never stood so long in one spot before and had found herself on the verge of fainting more than once. “How did she do?” Wilma asked Leroy as they sat at one of the long communal tables with wooden benches in the lunchroom. “Two gallons,” her cousin muttered, looking down at his food. “Two gallons?” Wilma exclaimed loud enough to drown out the neighboring conversations. Sadie sniffed. “Those fancy airs of yours aren’t much help here, are they?” “Girl, you got to do better than that,” Wilma added. Pearl gripped the edge of the table, wishing she could hide in the nearby cloakroom the rest of the day. She fought the urge to scream, cry or sass the sour, old woman. Couldn’t she see she was doing the best she could? Have dignity. Even if you have nothing else, nobody can take that from you. Mama’s words came back to her now, giving her strength. Even though this had to be the most miserable day of her life, she could choose dignity. She dusted the crumbs off her hands and stood as the break ended. “I’ll do better this afternoon.” But she didn’t do much better. Her exposed, right fingers became so scratched her entire hand was a throbbing ball of pain. The hours, visible from the large clock on the
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far wall, dragged by so slowly she wondered if time itself had stopped. Each one brought more humidity, making her clothes stick to her skin. The next oyster proved so hard to open it flew across the table. While trying to catch it, she knocked her half-full pail of large oysters on the floor. The oyster meat she’d picked scattered across the floor, dirty and ruined. “Oh, Pearl!” Leroy exclaimed when he saw the mess. “Try to be more careful.” Something inside her snapped and dignity vanished. Leaving the mess for her cousin to deal with, she threw down her knife, yanked off her gloves and ran outside to the unloading dock. On the way, she saw Wilma glare at her in open-mouthed disbelief but that didn’t stop her. On the dock, she passed metal contraptions she couldn’t identify and clutched one of the rough wooden pilings, unable to go any farther without falling into the water. The smell of fuel was stronger here as boats unloaded oysters and men’s voices drifted around her. Her gaze drifted to the yellow-green cordgrass fringing the opposite bank, but tears filled her eyes so quickly she couldn’t see where they ended and the water she looked at began. Why, Mama? Why did you leave me? What will I do now? I sure can’t do this. She found a bench nearby and sank onto it. Her legs were so tired from standing they trembled. She bowed her head and covered her face with her hands, heedless of who saw her. Moments passed. Too many to count. When she heard a man clear his throat from very close range, she dropped her hands and looked up. Her gaze traveled slowly up the solid torso of the white man standing in front of her. Uneasiness clawed at her spine. This wasn’t the supervisor she’d seen earlier and although the suspenders, rolled up shirtsleeves and straw boater hat he wore were modest, he looked important. His trim moustache and hair were dark except for a few silver strands at his temples. His ruddy tan told her he spent a lot of time outdoors, and his eyes… She had never seen such pale eyes, white hot with a bit of blue around the edges. Looking at those eyes felt just as dangerous as staring at the sun but it was as if her body had turned into a block of wood. She couldn’t move and she couldn’t stop staring at the man. If there were people or boat engines nearby, she stopped hearing them. Finally she gathered enough wits to wipe her tears, mortified that a total stranger had witnessed her moment of weakness. “I must have gotten some dust in my eye,” she claimed. With his serious gaze still locked with hers, he pulled a hanky out of his shirt pocket and handed it to her. “My hands—” she began. She tried to explain they were dirty from shucking but her voice seemed to have fled.
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“Take it,” he ordered. “I have too much oyster juice in my veins to let a little dirt bother me.” The scent of him, obvious because he stood so close, was even more concentrated in the scrap of fabric she took from him. It reminded her of fresh sea breezes from the Chesapeake Bay in Annapolis. Strong and powerful yet safe at the same time. She dabbed her nose and eyes, enjoying the simple luxuries of a clean handkerchief and a kind stranger. After her grueling experiences today, she would no longer take such things for granted. “You’re new,” he stated. She swallowed. “Yes, I’m related to the Johnsons. This is my first day.” He nodded. “What’s your name?” “Pearl Wilson.” A row of even teeth flashed beneath the moustache. To her horror, her cheeks grew hot when she wondered how that moustache would feel brushing across her face. She also wondered if the white fabric of his shirt felt as fine as the hanky did. He stood too close, close enough to reach out and touch. If she buried her face against his chest, would his fresh scent be strongest there? Heavens! Her mother would not approve of the thoughts going through her mind. Where on earth had they come from? Her heart beat too fast and she felt flushed despite the breeze from the water. No man had ever had this effect on her before, especially not a white man! When a strange heat flowered between her legs, Pearl crossed them tightly and concentrated on straightening the hem of her dress beneath the apron. “Pearl. That’s a lovely name and very fitting for an oyster house,” he said. He’d looked so solemn at first she’d expected him to have a deep, stern voice. Instead, it was warm and easy with the musical lilt of a southern Maryland waterman’s accent. She recognized it from visiting the Annapolis harbor where boat captains arrived from all over the state and even farther. “I’m Caleb Rockfield.” “Rockfield?” she repeated, looking at him again as the blood drained from her face. He winked at her. “Yeah, I own this place.” To her surprise, he shook her hand as if she were his equal instead of an employee. “I take it your first day is not going very well?” he asked. She squared her shoulders and lifted her chin, amazed at how quickly her dignity and strength had returned. Maybe Mr. Rockfield’s kindness had something to do with that. “I’ll be fine.” “Miss Wilson, I would like you to stay after work today.”
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Pearl’s heart flopped inside her chest as if it were a fish trapped in a net. It was bad enough Wilma was already displeased with her poor income potential. If she’d angered the owner of the company, they could all lose their jobs. “Have I done something wrong?” she asked. “Not at all,” he replied with the same easy voice. “I would just like to, uh…discuss your future here. My office is upstairs.” “But how will I get home? I live with the Johnsons and ride in their boat.” “I’ll make arrangements for you to get home.” Will we be alone? She didn’t dare ask but couldn’t help wondering if he planned to have his way with her. Why else would he want to see her if not to reprimand her for her poor shucking performance? The thought made the strange heat between her legs intensify. Mama would not approve of her being alone with a white man. She must refuse…gracefully. “I—” But before she could try to get out of it, he left. What had happened to her common sense? She was so entranced by the man’s effect on her she could hardly speak. Now she had no choice but to obey his order. Pearl stood, feeling as gangly as a newborn colt as she walked back inside. The owner of the company wanted to see her after work… What could that mean? Equal measures of fear and excitement tumbled inside her as she wondered. Wilma grabbed her arm with a wet, gloved hand as she walked back to her stall. “What were you doing out there?” the woman demanded. “What did he want with you?” Wilma’s face was covered with perspiration and Pearl noticed how tired she looked. She couldn’t be much older than her mother had been but she looked at least ten years older. Pearl shrugged. “He wants me to see him after work.” “What? Heaven help us all,” Wilma exclaimed. “I just knew you were nothing but trouble. Now we be going to lose our jobs because of you.” Feeling that familiar mantle of dignity around her again, Pearl told her everything would be all right in a calm voice and walked away. When she reached her stall, Leroy looked at her with tired, troubled eyes but didn’t say anything. The pail she’d dropped was clean and back in its place. Pearl’s hands resumed her work but her mind was still outside, looking into those impossibly pale eyes. Why wasn’t she afraid of their upcoming meeting? And why was he so different from the other white men she’d met during her life? Maybe it was because he was the first who’d looked at her as a real person, an equal.
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To her surprise, she did better at shucking. Before long, she had a full pail of relatively undamaged oysters to take to the window for processing. How could talking to a man have changed her so much in so little time? Maybe she’d been thinking too much this morning, trying so hard not to fail she couldn’t do anything but. The distraction from the unusual encounter must have done her some good. All she knew was that she couldn’t wait to see Mr. Rockfield again.
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Chapter Two Caleb had been sitting behind his desk in his upstairs office for a couple of hours but part of him was still down on the dock talking to that intriguing young woman. There was something different about her. He flipped through some delivery records but instead of reading the numbers, he saw her face on the pages. Her delicate cheekbones and expressive lips, which seemed to broadcast every emotion, were the best things he’d seen in a while. And her eyes. So haunting yet strong. They were the color of that green water out there and pulled him in headfirst as if he’d fallen off the pier. The rest of her looked strong too despite her small stature. Where had she come from? He needed to know everything about her. Booted footsteps on the wooden floorboards of his office broke him out of his trance. Henry, his younger brother, handed him the tally sheet from his latest delivery of oysters. Caleb blinked at the quantity. “I didn’t expect so many bushels so soon.” Henry operated the company buy-boat, Easy Pickings, which he used to both dredge for oysters from Rockfield’s leased beds and buy oysters from other boats. He took off his cap, which was adorned with fish hooks, revealing wavy brown hair that was too long. As usual, his faded overalls were dirty with oyster mud and boat engine grease. “Yeah, it’s going to be a good harvest this year,” he replied. “Have you thought about my idea to expand the bulkhead and dock? We’re running out of room with all those discarded shells out there. On busy days the boats trip all over each other.” What does she taste like? Caleb wondered. How would that kissable mouth feel beneath his own? How would that tiny slip of a body feel in his arms? And did the skin on her shapely calves feel as soft as it looked? An erection swelled inside his pants with no warning. He scooted his chair closer to the desk to hide it. Henry waved a hand in front of his face. “Caleb? Are you there?” Caleb blinked until the image of Pearl disappeared. “Sorry. I’m not myself today.” His brother laughed. “Sometimes I wonder if all this is starting to bore you.” Caleb couldn’t help wondering the same thing. The plant expansions and big harvests had been so exciting at first. Why was he thinking about Pearl instead of the bulkhead? Henry nodded toward the door. “Looks like you’ve got a new employee down there. She looks young.”
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Caleb opened his mouth to comment but stopped himself. Henry didn’t need to know how taken he was with her. “Draw me up a plan of the bulkhead expansion and estimate the cost,” he said instead. “You’re the king.” Henry put his cap back on and left. Caleb turned to the window behind him, which gave him a bird’s-eye view of the narrow spit of land called Oyster Island. He could see both the plant’s unloading dock on the left and Oyster Harbor up to the right. King. He couldn’t help smiling with pride every time he heard the nickname he’d earned here. His daddy had established this oyster house over thirty years ago and Caleb made it more prosperous every year. Everyone said he was the most successful man on the island. At the moment, his cock didn’t care about success. It was still semi-hard despite everything. What was going on? A widower for the past five years, he’d lived the life of a monk. The small island didn’t have many eligible women and he was usually too busy with his work to care. Even his past marriage had lacked passion. Pearl. Who would ever have thought he’d find a pearl among all the oyster shells? She’s forbidden, his common sense told him. He had to get these crazy, lust-filled thoughts out of his head before they got him into serious trouble. Why had he asked her to stay late? Being alone with her after hours was the last thing he needed. Was she married? He hadn’t seen a ring but that didn’t mean much in these hard times. Jewelry was a luxury many couldn’t afford. Turning around, he drummed his fingers on his desk. He just needed to talk to her and get to know her a little better without a bunch of people around watching, listening and judging. That was all. Once his curiosity was satisfied, he’d surely come back to his senses and forget all about her. When he looked at his watch, realizing it was almost quitting time, his unruly cock surged again. He would see her soon. Bill Murdock, the floor supervisor, entered to give him an afternoon status report but Caleb barely listened. “I see there’s a new one for me to keep in line,” the man said. A new one. It made Pearl sound like livestock. “Why did you hire a skinny little colored girl anyway? She can’t shuck worth a hill of beans.” A muscle twitched in Caleb’s jaw. “She’ll learn.” Murdock scratched his cheek and looked with distaste at his fingernails. “If you ask me, they’re all worthless and can’t be trusted.” “I didn’t ask you,” Caleb replied. “Go tell Leroy Johnson to come up here.”
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Heat prickled across his face after the man left. He’d never liked him but why did he especially feel like punching him today? “You sent for me, sir?” Leroy said when he arrived a few minutes later. “Yes, Pearl Wilson will be staying late tonight.” Caleb held out some money. “Row your mother and sister home. Then come back and go to the Sapphire Crab. Have yourself a leisurely dinner. I’ll come get you when it’s time for you to take Pearl home.” The young man’s round eyes grew wider. “But, sir. That’s a fine restaurant. I can’t take your money.” “Leroy, when a gift comes your way, don’t question it. Just take it. You’d be doing me a big favor.” After he left, Caleb scattered the papers all over his desk, making the biggest mess he could. He had a plan for Pearl Wilson because he had a feeling his curiosity wouldn’t be satisfied in a couple of hours.
***** Pearl shifted in the hard wooden chair across from Mr. Rockfield’s desk. As soon as she’d arrived, he’d told her to wait for him and rushed off. He’d been gone nearly an hour already. Through the open door, she heard the floor men below, whistling as they cleaned the dirty floor and oyster tables. Today she’d learned these were the same workers who hauled oysters and shells in wheelbarrows during the day. The smell of sea water drifted in the open window. She could see the whole island from here and watched the white boats turn pink as the sun set. Even though the man wasn’t here, she felt his essence in the massive desk, important-looking filing cabinets and date book filled with meetings. It made her blood sing in that strange way it had when she’d met him on the unloading dock, just not as strongly. A big wall poster with curly edges from the humidity advertised the oyster house. The other wall held a picture of Mr. Rockfield in a boat holding a large fish. He looked strong and in charge, as if he could catch anything he wanted. At the bottom, Caleb Rockfield, King of Oyster Island was written in pen. King? She closed her eyes, imagining the two of them alone on a boat with his arms locked around her, conquering her. Pulling up her dress with those strong, tanned hands and… Pearl stood, unable to sit and fall prey to such wicked thoughts any longer. She must have clasped and unclasped her hands a hundred times already. What did he want with her? If he planned to fire her, she was sure he would have done it already, but surely she must be in some type of trouble?
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The last thing she wanted was to give Wilma bad news. She didn’t want to let the family down since they’d opened their home to her. Nevertheless, she was not sorry to be away from the Johnson cottage this evening. Mr. Rockfield certainly wasn’t very tidy, she thought as she glanced at the mess on his desk again. The housekeeper in her needed to clean it up but she didn’t want to anger him by touching his things. Unless this was a test. Maybe he wanted her to clean it up. If only life weren’t so complicated on Oyster Island. The building was quiet now. The floor men must have finished and gone home. Unable to stand any more idleness, she dared to pick up papers from the floor and put them on the desk. Bolder now, she put the papers into neat piles, using the oyster-shell paperweights to hold them in place. Oysters, she thought as she ran her finger over the rough edge of one of the shells. They were everywhere. The office door closed with a thud, causing Pearl to gasp. “What are you doing?” Mr. Rockfield took off his boater hat and hung it on a hook by the door. Pearl took a deep breath to slow her racing heart. “I didn’t want to be idle so I straightened things up. I hope you don’t mind.” His face looked solemn and unreadable again, as it had when they’d first met. When he finally smiled she was so relieved she wanted to hug him. “Thanks,” he said. “It looks much better. Things get pretty messy during the day.” “I’m glad you’re pleased,” she said. When he touched her bare arm, the unexpected feel of him nearly sent her out of her skin. “Stop looking so worried.” He winked at her. “You’re making me nervous.” He set the basket he’d been holding near the edge of the desk. The scent of fried chicken made Pearl’s mouth water. “What’s that?” she asked. “Your dinner. You didn’t think I was going to keep you here without feeding you, did you?” he asked as he sat down behind his desk. “Thank you. I’ll take it downstairs to the lunchroom,” she said. “You’ll do no such thing,” he said easily. “Eat it on the desk where I set it so we can talk.” Pearl couldn’t help smiling at the small feast when she took the cover off the basket. The chicken, fried a deep, golden brown, a biscuit, corn, and a small container of milk looked better than anything she’d eaten since leaving home. She took a bite of chicken but having that pale gaze fixed on her from across the desk nearly made her forget how to swallow. “What would you like to talk about?” she asked.
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He leaned forward and folded his hands. “I want to know more about you. Where are you from? What brought you here?” She wiped her hands with the cloth napkin from the basket. “I’m afraid my life isn’t very interesting, Mr. Rockfield.” “It is to me and I have all night,” he said, leaning back in his chair. “And you can call me Caleb when we’re alone like this.” Permission to use his first name? She could hardly believe it. He had to be the most unusual white man she’d ever met, not to mention the handsomest. With his hat off, she was able to study his hair. It was short on the sides and longer on top. She couldn’t help wondering how the dark, shiny locks would feel sliding through her fingers. She looked at the fishing picture again. “But if you’re a king, don’t you have a title?” He looked at the picture too and smiled. “People around the island just call me that because I’ve been successful.” She concentrated on swallowing the last of her biscuit instead. It was hard to stop looking at his face, serious one moment and jovial the next. Not knowing what to expect from him was like balancing on the sharp edge of an oyster shell. He looked very serious now so she had to at least tell him something about her life as he requested. “I’m from Annapolis,” she began. “My mother was a housekeeper.” “Then straightening my desk must have been second nature for you,” he commented. “Tell me more. Where is your mother now?” She didn’t want to tell him about the sad circumstances that brought her here but his pale stare was relentless. Everything came out, from Mr. Stuart’s furniture auction to the heart attack Mama had not long after hearing the news she’d lost her job and home. Pearl finished her meal and stood to put the cover back over the basket. “Thank you for the dinner. It was delicious but I should be getting home now. You said you’d make arrangements for that?” The chair squeaked as he stood and walked over to her. Her breathing grew rapid as he stood close to her, closer than he had on the dock. “We have some time yet.” He reached out and caressed her chin with a hooked index finger. “I want to tell you how sorry I am about your loss.” “Th-thank you.” Heat flooded her veins as his touch resonated in every part of her body. She had to back away. This wasn’t appropriate behavior for either of them but it seemed as if her feet were glued to the floor. “It must be hard to go from that sort of life to a loud, dirty plant like this on top of losing a loved one.” “I’m determined to make the best of my circumstances. I have no choice.” She finally found the courage to turn away from his hand but that made it brush her cheek, which affected her even more. She barely suppressed the shiver of delight that went through her. Why did his nearness and touch have such an impact on her? 22
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And where had the wetness between her legs come from? Caleb’s fresh, breezy scent was muskier than it had been earlier. Maybe that was because her face was so close to the patch of tanned skin exposed by the top of his shirt. The top button was undone and she had an insane urge to unbutton the rest of it and run her fingers across his chest. He caught hold of her hand and held it up, rubbing his thumb in slow circles over her palm. A small, keening sound threatened to spill from her throat but she managed to stop it. Her step-in panties grew even wetter, and something hot and very insistent pulsed between her thighs. She had to get away from this man before she lost all sense of dignity. If he had any idea how wild and stirred up she was inside, he’d think she’d lost her mind. “Your hands are too soft to shuck oysters,” he said. “It would be a shame to let them become rough and worn.” Thankfully, he dropped her hand and common sense returned to her. She even took a step away from him to break the spell he seemed to have over her body. “You could clean my office instead, after hours.” She hadn’t expected this. “Thank you for the offer but I need to earn the shucking money for my keep at home.” “I can pay you a dollar per hour for the cleaning.” “A dollar an hour!” It must have been the first time she’d smiled in weeks. “Can I do both jobs? I don’t want to be idle all day.” More importantly, she didn’t want Wilma and Sadie to see her idle. They harassed her enough as it was. “If that’s what you want, sure. Now that that’s settled,” he said, “I’m going to give you a private tour of the oyster house and a shucking lesson.” When they went downstairs, she didn’t see a single person. The building was so quiet and the floors were so clean it was hard to imagine the noise and piles of oysters there earlier. It was almost as if they were in a different place altogether. Caleb showed her the shipping and receiving rooms, explaining how the incoming oysters got loaded in through an opening in the roof. Then he explained the steam sterilizer and the equipment in the processing room where the shucked oysters were cleaned and packed. A stack of cans in various sizes sported blue labels showing a picture of an oyster shell with a pearl in it and cursive letters reading Rockfield Heavenly Oysters. When she’d come to this window the first time today with mangled oysters, she’d never dreamed she’d be getting a private tour of it from the owner tonight. “Do you do this for all your employees?” she asked. For a moment, he resembled a bashful boy instead of the owner of the company. “No. Can’t say as I have.” “Then why me?” 23
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He shrugged as he led her toward a back room, a much smaller version of the main shucking room she’d worked in earlier. The cream-colored ceiling was low here, giving it the feel of a cozy cabin. A few oysters sat on the table. Had Caleb put them there? Her heart skipped a beat when he locked the wooden door behind them. “There’s just something about you,” he said. “I can’t explain it.” She crossed to stand near one of the wooden stalls. Looking back at him and the locked door made her heart accelerate. What did he plan to do to her? “You’re not married, are you?” he asked. Now she was almost certain he meant to have his way with her. She shouldn’t have accepted the after-hours cleaning job. “No. What about you?” “I’ve been a widower for five years now,” he replied. Pearl put her hand to her throat. No matter how giddy she’d felt upstairs, she had no intention of being a loose woman. Because he was the boss, he probably assumed he owned her. Maybe he did. Leaning toward a window, she ran her hand along the sash, checking to see if it could be opened. He gently moved her arm and pulled down the shade of that window and the next. Oh, Mama. Get me out of here! “I only locked the door so we could have some privacy,” he said calmly. “Can’t have everyone wondering why I’m giving you a private shucking lesson.” Daring to turn around, she almost fell over with relief when she noticed an oyster in his hand. He placed it on the block in front of her and picked up the clean knife lying on the table. Apparently he meant to give her a lesson after all instead of attacking her. He stood behind her, trapping her between his arms as he reached forward and held the oyster. The contact of his entire body against the back of hers erased all the silly fears that had just gone through her head. Mercy, she almost wanted him to attack her. His scent engulfed her, making her giddier than ever. “The secret is in the first cut,” he said close to her ear. The lilt of his accent wrapped the spell he’d woven over her even tighter. “You’ve got to be quick and accurate when you cut.” He wrapped her fingers around the knife and guided her hands, making the cut together. “Then she’s easy to spread open.” The hinged shell fell open with surprising ease under their hands, revealing the slick glob of meat. “There she is,” he added. “Isn’t that just beautiful? So wet and tasty, just waiting to be plucked.” Pearl didn’t reply. To her, oysters were ugly creatures but he could convince her of anything right now. When he nestled against her more closely, her eyes grew so wide
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she was afraid they’d fall out of her head onto the table. Something hard and long pressed against her backside. Caleb was hard, for her. The nipples of her breasts answered in kind, tightening almost to the point of pain beneath her dress. Thankfully, he stood still. If he moved against her now, she would be completely lost. She concentrated on the rough surface of the concrete table with all her might. “You’re standing awfully close,” she whispered. “I am, aren’t I?” he whispered back. “Do you want me to move?” Yes! No! Oh Lord, help me. I’ve never felt so weak. “Show me the next step—with the oyster, that is,” she said quickly. “Certainly.” He gripped her hand around the knife again and made deft movements to cut the meat from the shell. “Cut here and there. That’s all there is to it.” “You make it look so simple,” she said, realizing he could pull her out of her shell just as easily. When he stepped away from her, her legs nearly gave out. It was as if the hardness that had been nestled against her was the only thing that had been keeping her standing upright in front of the table. He stepped beside her and she watched, fascinated, as he tipped the oyster half with the meat on it to his mouth. Watching the wet creature slide past the dark hairs of his moustache intrigued her in a way she couldn’t explain. When he bent forward to kiss her, she was too aroused to refuse. His pale blue eyes came closer than they ever had and all she could do was stare helplessly into them. It was as if she floated higher and higher into the sky, never to set foot on firm earth again. She felt his moustache first, hot and coarse, and then his lips, cooler and wetter. As his mouth worked over hers, something pushed between her lips. His tongue? She met it with hers, stroking with an abandon she refused to acknowledge as her own. He tasted of the sea. No, not just one tongue. Two? She was too distracted by the heat boiling through her belly to care. When he removed his mouth, she realized he’d put the oyster inside her mouth. Without thinking, she spit it out and it landed on the floor. Caleb tipped his head back and laughed. It was a beautiful man’s laugh, musical and deep. Unfortunately she didn’t feel very amused. “Now Ernie would have a fit if he saw you messed up his clean floor,” he said. “I take it you don’t care for oysters.” She crossed her arms. “No, I don’t. I thought you had swallowed it. And you shouldn’t have kissed me.” He wiped his hand on one of the clean rags nearby and she did the same. Then he leaned an elbow against the table and looked at her.
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“Why not, honey? We’re not married.” “In case you haven’t noticed,” she said, “we’re not the same color—or social class, for that matter. You’re the owner of this establishment and I’m just a poor—” He put two fingers to her lips to quiet her. The lingering scent of oysters drifted from them, making her breathe faster. She was beginning to like oysters… “Whatever you’re going to say, just stop,” he ordered. He put his arms around her and held her close until her nose rested against the musky, breezy scent at the base of his neck. Pearl never dreamed how wonderful it could feel to be held in a man’s arms. Did all men feel this good? Somehow she knew no one would come close to Caleb. She already felt an attachment forming that couldn’t be. Being alone with him in this room was like being in their own private world. Even the occasional car passing by sounded miles away. Going back to the Johnson cottage would be even harder after this taste of heaven. Kiss me again… Don’t let this end. As if reading her mind, he tipped her chin up with his finger and kissed her. This time his real tongue brushed against hers and explored the perimeter of her lips. She could feel his heart thundering just as hard and fast as hers. “I think you’re the one hiding an oyster this time,” he said when the kiss ended. She laughed. “No, I’m not.” “I bet it’s in your ear.” He planted a trail of tiny kisses across her cheek to her earlobe. When the point of his tongue flicked every delicate channel, she couldn’t hold back a tiny moan. “Ah, Pearl, you’re so responsive. It’s as if we were made for each other.” “We shouldn’t be doing this.” She kept an eye on the locked door, afraid someone would bust it down and discover them. He ignored her protest. “Hmm, it’s not in that ear. Let me try the other one.” She wanted the hardness she’d felt against her earlier inside her. The thought was too forbidden to even think but she couldn’t help it. Within a few hours, she’d completely changed from an innocent girl to a woman with insistent carnal needs. “It’s not there either,” he said. “That’s all right. I know a few more places I want to look.” Wet and hot, his mouth slanted across her chest above the bodice of her striped cotton dress. Wiry moustache hairs scratched her sensitive skin and she moaned again. It seemed the more time she spent around this man, the more she lost control. Her heart slowed to hard, pulsing beats as his mouth moved lower to her cleavage. At the same time, his hand covered one breast on the outside of her dress and stroked. Even through fabric, her nipple tingled in response, needing his mouth there too. Fluid, urgent and hot, trickled between her legs. Don’t stop, Caleb. Please. 26
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At that moment, she finally came to her senses and slapped him. He backed away from her, rubbing his cheek where her hand had made a red mark. “What did you do that for? I thought you were enjoying it.” She clutched the hand that had slapped him. “Oh, Mr. Rockfield, Caleb, I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me.” He thrust his hands into his pockets. “It’s all right. I went too far too fast.” How could she have been so weak? So unbelievably shameful? Maybe it was a good thing her mother wasn’t alive to see what she’d almost done. Crossing the room, she stood in front of the opposite table, near the door. “I’m sorry to disappoint you but I’m not that kind of woman.” “I know.” She turned to look at him and squared her shoulders. “I’m saving myself for marriage. I can’t be your—” She hated to even say the word. “Your whore.” He stepped closer to her but not too close. “I wasn’t asking you to be.” But he was asking for something and they both knew it. “My mother raised me to be a proper lady,” she tried to explain. “It’s all I have…of her and for myself. “I understand and I respect you for it.” He touched her shoulder as if for reassurance but dropped his hand again. “I never expected this to happen either.” “Have I lost both jobs with you?” She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment as she waited for his answer. By letting her animal desires run away from her, she may have just thrown away the only home and sustenance she had left. He frowned. “Of course not. I’m not the kind of man to force myself upon an unwilling woman just because I can.” As she studied his earnest face, she realized he meant it. “Good,” she replied, “because the last thing I want is any trouble. Things are tough financially at home.” “So what do we do about this powerful attraction between us?” he asked, taking her hand. “You clearly want me as much as I want you.” She raised her chin. “We’ll just have to fight it when we’re alone together. We shouldn’t even be alone together unless absolutely necessary.” He nodded. “That would be the sensible thing to do, I suppose.” “I’d like to go home now,” she said. “I’ll take you to where Leroy is waiting.” As he unlocked the door, she licked her lips discreetly, savoring the taste of him and the forbidden kisses she could never enjoy again.
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Chapter Three “You all right?” It was the only thing Leroy said to Pearl as he rowed them home. She was grateful for that and only told him she had a regular job working after hours. She had never ridden in a boat at night before. The lantern on the bow cast a golden halo of light around them but everything beyond it was dark and hidden. The moon was not even out tonight. Since she couldn’t see much, her other senses sharpened. Sea creatures splashed in the water while others scampered on the shore nearby. The smell of brine pressed around her, thick and strong. When she turned her head to her shoulder, she caught the scent of something else. Caleb. It was so faint it was barely there. She kept her head turned for a while, savoring the scent and holding onto it as if the next breeze might steal it from her. Then she put her fingers to her lips. He didn’t know it but he’d given her the first kiss she’d ever had. Growing up in Annapolis, she’d tried to imagine what kissing would be like. Mama rarely let her out of her sight so she’d never gotten the opportunity. She’d thought kissing was merely a pressing of one set of lips to another. No one had warned her how such a simple act would consume her entire body with sensation. Had she really kissed a white man? It could never happen again. The cleaning job he’d given her was easy. Resisting him was going to take every bit of her strength because his appeal was more than physical. Despite his powerful position, he’d listened to the story of her past with such compassion and he respected her. He hadn’t even gotten angry after she’d slapped him. Caleb Rockfield was a special man. The sudden sound of the boat scraping on sand pulled Pearl out of her thoughts. Her stomach sank at the thought of facing her aunt. Maybe she’d gone to bed already but the light in the window suggested she hadn’t. Leroy tended to tying up the boat, leaving her to go inside alone. While Uncle Charlie snored from his favorite chair, Wilma and Sadie sat at the kitchen table, eying her as she walked in. “You didn’t have to stay up,” she told them. “Couldn’t sleep not knowing what you was doing,” the older woman said. Her words sent dread clawing at Pearl’s spine. She must suspect, but how? Had Caleb’s hands and lips left marks on her for everyone to see? “Well? Have you lost all our jobs?” Wilma asked. 28
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Pearl clasped her hands behind her back for strength. “No. Cal—Mr. Rockfield has hired me to work in the evenings cleaning.” Wilma’s stern frown vanished into a wide smile. “So you’re going to be bringing in some extra money? How much?” “A dollar per hour.” Sadie slapped the table. “A dollar per hour? Sure can’t make that shucking.” “Hush, child,” Wilma told her daughter. Then she turned to Pearl again and waved her finger. “You make sure to do a real good job at that cleaning because you ain’t never going to be much of an oyster shucker. Keep Mr. Rockfield satisfied.” Heat raced across Pearl’s face. She had a feeling what made Caleb Rockfield happy had nothing to do with cleaning. Was her aunt indirectly telling her to go to bed with the man? A vision of lying on the concrete oyster table with Caleb on top of her raced through her mind. It was all too easy to imagine the sweet hardness that had nestled against her backside filling her instead. Sadie snorted. “Hmph. How come nobody ever asked me to do any extra work?” “I’m sure it’s because I have experience with housekeeping,” Pearl replied. “Or because she’s got a prettier face than you,” Wilma told Sadie. Pearl sighed, wishing her aunt weren’t so blunt. Now her cousin would dislike her even more. “The way a person looks takes them further than hard work. Ain’t fair but that’s how things is.” Wilma shook her finger at Pearl again. “If you’re smart, you’ll use that face of yours to find yourself a good husband with good wages.” Wages her aunt wanted a share of, no doubt. Leroy came in and washed his hands in the bucket of water. “You all hungry?” Wilma asked. The tone of her voice said there wasn’t much to eat. “No, Mr. Rockfield paid for a fine dinner at the Sapphire Crab while I waited to take Pearl home.” “The Sapphire Crab?” Wilma exclaimed. “And you didn’t bring us any?” “If he does it again, I will,” her son replied. Uncle Charlie stirred and coughed so deeply Pearl looked at him and then Wilma. “Is he all right?” Leroy dried his hands on a worn towel. “His heart’s giving out. Gets worse every year.” “Won’t be long,” Wilma added quietly. “This winter, most likely.” Pearl couldn’t read the emotions on her aunt’s face in the dim light very well but resignation dominated them all. The woman’s lower lip trembled so briefly it was just a flicker, but it told Pearl the hard woman sitting before her had once cared about her 29
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husband. She couldn’t help wondering if he’d ever made her feel the way Caleb did her but didn’t dare ask. “I’m sorry,” she said. Wilma sighed. “When it’s a person’s time, it’s time.” “Well, I’m very tired,” Pearl announced. “Good night, everyone.” She headed toward the small room she shared with Sadie to wash up and change into a nightgown. A mosquito whined near her ear. Her head was so full of thoughts she no longer noticed the loose doorknob, the hole in the window screen patched with cheesecloth or the scrap of wood supporting the short leg of Sadie’s bed. Tomorrow, she would see Caleb again but she’d be shucking all day. Would he look at her with disgust, regretting their kisses? It shouldn’t matter but it did. Important white men didn’t go around kissing and holding colored women like lovers. Whatever had possessed him to act that way would surely pass overnight. It would be just as well if he did reject her. Then she wouldn’t have to fight her passions and resist him. Mama had protected her from men but she wasn’t here anymore. Pearl was on her own and so was her heart. As long as she earned her keep, that’s all that mattered.
***** Caleb sat at his usual table at the Sapphire Crab the next morning. He nudged aside the red-and-white checked curtains beside him and looked at Oyster Harbor while he stirred just a bit of cream into his coffee. Seeing the erect masts of moored boats swaying back and forth reminded him how hard his cock had been when he’d woken up this morning. It was almost as if he’d become a teenager again. All because he’d kissed Pearl. Had it really happened or was it just a dream? He barely heard the din of voices and cutlery, barely smelled the coffee and fried food, barely noticed when the usual people spoke to him as they passed by. Mayor Dick Carter walked down the aisle, his large belly leading the way and straining the buttons of his blue jacket. “Good morning, Caleb.” The older man removed his hat, revealing a shock of white hair. “It’s time we went fishing again, isn’t it?” “It sure is,” Caleb replied, saluting him with his coffee cup. “We’ll do it soon.” He could think of other things he’d rather do. The mayor was loud and drank too much while boating. During their last fishing expedition, he’d nearly fallen overboard. To ensure his position of power on the island, however, Caleb had always aimed to stay in the mayor’s good graces. Kissing colored women wasn’t part of that plan. If the mayor only knew, he sure wouldn’t invite him to go fishing. It was hard to predict exactly what would happen to Caleb and his business but it wouldn’t be good.
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So why had he done something so foolish when it was so dangerous? Especially when kissing her had only whetted his appetite for more? Now that he knew a little about her background and her values he was more curious than ever. Why, for instance, did she arrange her hair like a film star’s? He sipped his coffee, the hot, creamy liquid reminding him of the taste of her skin and lips. Her skin was the color of this coffee, he realized—dark with just a touch of cream. If only she hadn’t slapped him when he’d been about to sample her breasts. How big were her nipples? Were they darker than the rest of her skin? And he could never seem to stop staring at her changeable mouth. Her lips weren’t full but their shape begged to be kissed. His imagination would have to do. They’d both agreed their attraction couldn’t go any further. At least the woman had sense. More than he did, apparently, because if it were up to him he’d have her up on the oyster table, tasting every last inch of her. “Your eggs and ham, Mr. Rockfield.” He looked up at Betty Lewes’ smiling face and then the steaming plate she’d placed before him. Although she was the daughter of the restaurant owner, she usually brought his food out personally. “Thank you, Betty. How are you this morning?” “I’m just wonderful, Mr. Rockfield.” Judging by the flush on her round cheeks and sparkle in her blue eyes, he’d made her morning even better by talking to her. She smoothed down a lock of light brown hair that fell around her face. She sang in the church choir and did some substitute teaching in addition to helping out in the restaurant, which she would inherit. She was one of the few single women on the island and Caleb knew if he ever got a hankering to remarry, she’d gladly oblige. It had even crossed his mind a time or two but he’d always been too busy to go through all the fuss and bother of a wedding. The oyster house took up a lot of his time and his single life suited him fine. So why, after five years of having her serve his breakfast, hadn’t he given her permission to call him Caleb? He’d given Pearl that privilege in just one day and their social standing was worlds apart. Pearl robbed him of his ability to think clearly. He’d have to be careful around her. “Can I get you anything else?” Betty asked. “More coffee?” He turned his attention to the food on his plate, salting the eggs and cutting the ham. “No, thank you. Maybe later.” As he watched her walk away, he realized he could never marry her. Apparently a few stolen moments in a small shucking room had ruined him for other women. What was it about Pearl? Her innocence and pretty face—not to mention the sweet curve of her ass—attracted him, of course, but there was more to it than that. 31
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He admired how she insisted on continuing to shuck oysters in addition to her cleaning job. A lot of women would have taken the easy path. She carried herself like a dignified lady yet was so passionate. In the short time they’d spent together he’d managed to cut through her reserve and make her moan. So why had he hired her when the temptation to go further with her was so hard to resist? He chewed his scrambled eggs without even tasting them. In light of the financial situation of her family, taking the job away wasn’t an option. He’d just have to keep his distance. After he finished up and paid the bill, he walked outside and looked at the front of the restaurant before heading to the plant. The Sapphire Crab was painted in big blue letters flanked with two blue crab figures. His gaze lowered to the front door and the sign above it, Whites Only. A smaller sign beneath it read Coloreds Only and pointed to the back of the restaurant. How strange. He must have eaten here hundreds of times over the years yet he’d never noticed—really noticed—that sign until now. Its meaning washed over him like the cool morning breeze. It meant he couldn’t bring Pearl here for breakfast and sit across from her at his usual table. For the first time in his life, he realized if fate had changed the color of his skin, he would have to eat in the back too. That is, if he could even afford to eat in a restaurant at all. His life would be completely different. He sure wouldn’t be affectionately known as the “king” of Oyster Island. Time to head to his plant. That woman had scrambled his brains worse than the eggs he’d eaten. The fall oyster harvest was just getting started and he was about to become very busy. It was time for him to come to his senses once and for all.
***** Pearl took her same place at the shucking plant beside Leroy. Jimmy gave her a big smile from her other side. “Good morning, Pearl. Survived your first day, did you?” She smiled back. “I think so.” “Do you need any help or anything?” he asked. “No, I’m fine.” Why was he paying so much attention to her? He wouldn’t be the fastest shucker for long if he spent his time talking to her. “Hello, Jimmy,” Sadie said as she walked by. Pearl could tell by the coy glances her cousin gave him she was interested in him. He barely looked up. “Hello, uh…Sadie.” Sadie glared at Pearl, as if his lack of interest were her fault, before going to her station. I can’t help how I look, Pearl thought. Besides, Sadie had nothing to worry about. Jimmy wasn’t the person on her mind this morning. 32
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Then she realized he was exactly the type of man her aunt expected her to marry. The kind she herself expected to marry. He was successful and seemed nice too. Mama would approve. She grabbed another oyster. Jimmy was being friendly to her because she was new, nothing more. She glanced around the plant. Where was Caleb? Had last evening really happened? When she looked back at the small shucking room, she saw the door wide open and people working in there. It was impossible to believe she’d been there alone with the owner behind a locked door. As soon as she placed the oyster on the cutting block, she remembered her private lesson. Everything Caleb had taught her about shucking came back to her. The secret is in the first cut…then she’s easy to spread open…wet and tasty…just waiting to be plucked. His choice of words wasn’t lost on her. If only she could feel his body pressed behind hers again it would make this dreary day pass so much faster. She tackled her first oyster, amazed at how accurately and quickly she shucked it. Encouraged by her progress, she grabbed another and then another. Before she knew it, it was time to take pails full of meat to the processing window. When she returned to her post, she moved her hands without conscious thought. Shucking had almost become as automatic as breathing. While she worked, she relived every moment of last night—the oyster he slipped into her mouth, his hot tongue exploring the folds of her ear and his lips dipping to the swell of her breasts. It was as if her body floated, suspended in another time. This day was certainly different from her first. Now that she was more relaxed she noticed more camaraderie among the workers. Two men on the other side of Leroy had an informal contest on who could shuck the most oysters in the next half hour. Behind her, Wilma gossiped with another woman. The strains of a spiritual hymn drifted to her from the other end of the plant and got louder as other people joined in. She didn’t recognize it but found herself humming along. The music reminded her of Annabelle’s piano. Looking down at her fingers encrusted with oyster juice, she wished she could still play. The lunch break passed but she still hadn’t seen Caleb at all. Was he here today? And then she heard his voice near the unloading dock. The knife dropped from her hand as she turned to look. Her heart stuttered when she saw him. Just the sight of him and sound of his voice made her feel his mouth on hers again. Her gaze clung to his pale eyes and the moustache that had brushed her face. He shook hands with one of the watermen delivering oysters and then slapped him on the back. It was easy to see who was in charge, but his posture and voice were so easygoing everyone must like him. They came her way so they must be headed to his office. Pearl froze, daring not to even breathe until they passed. Would he look at her? Speak to her? Introduce her to the other man as his lady? Pearl squeezed the oyster shell in her hand. Where in the world had such a ridiculous 33
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idea come from? She would never be Caleb Rockfield’s lady. Imagining such foolishness would only distract her from her work and the money that needed to be made. Uncle Charlie was sick and Aunt Wilma needed her help. As they passed by, Pearl pretended to look down at her work while watching Caleb’s face. He glanced at her so briefly she almost missed it. His expression was too blank to read anything from it. She watched his retreating back as he talked with the other man. He’d looked at her as if she were a piece of furniture, nothing more. Couldn’t he have at least smiled at her, if not greeted her by name? Even a little sparkle in his eye would have acknowledged what they’d shared last night. By letting him be the first man to kiss her, she had given him a little piece of herself. One she could never get back. Now she felt like a complete fool for worrying about fighting off his advances during their future work together. He obviously regretted what they’d done and wasn’t interested in her. It was just as well, she repeated to herself. She tossed down her knife. Last night was a dream. This was reality. Here he was important and she was a faceless nobody. The sooner she accepted that the better. When someone grabbed her arm, she gasped. His name was on her lips but she knew better. He and the other man had gone upstairs. “Don’t get frustrated now. It’s only your second day.” It was Jimmy Clark. “I-I’m not frustrated,” she said, trying to gather her wits. When he let go of her arm, she barely noticed. Why didn’t his touch crackle with electricity as Caleb’s had? She expected to feel that same surge of heat flowing through her body like high tide in a storm. Instead, her blood felt as if it were a stagnant pool of water on a calm day. “I’ve seen you take your pails to the window several times today,” the other man said. “You’re doing much better.” “The practice is helping.” Jimmy grinned and touched her arm again. “If you need any help, you just holler, all right?” Pearl sighed as she grabbed her next oyster. This morning she’d convinced herself Jimmy was just being nice to her. Now it was obvious he was sweet on her. Not now, she thought. The man was perfect for her but she couldn’t stop thinking about Mr. Rockfield. She had to get that man out of her mind before her thoughts ruined what might be her only chance at a decent future. In the meantime, she would be pleasant to Jimmy without overly encouraging him. If his interest in her developed slowly, it might give her the time she needed. She summoned the warmest smile she could. “Thank you, Jimmy. I’ll be sure to do that.”
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***** Caleb’s face looked serious and cold when Pearl reported to his office after work. His office didn’t even look as messy as it had yesterday. Did she still have a job? She wished she hadn’t told Wilma about it because now her aunt would expect the extra money. “Good evening, Pearl. I’ve made the same arrangements with Leroy as yesterday to take you home.” He didn’t even look at her while he spoke. His face was nearly buried in the clipboard he held. “I want you to clean the room we were in last time,” he continued. “There’s a longhandled broom down there. Try to get rid of all the cobwebs.” “Yes, sir.” She hoped he didn’t hear the disappointment in her voice. What did she expect, another private oyster-shucking lesson? This was for the best. They were supposed to act this way. If only she hadn’t kissed him yesterday. As she headed down the stairs, her chest felt like an oyster with its shell pried open. Going to the small shucking room, she left the door open. Being in the same room alone was strange. Instead of small and cozy, it felt cold and empty. She’d gotten halfway through the cleaning when the door opened. Her heart pounded against her ribs as she turned around to see who it was, hoping it was him. It was. The pale blue glance that had barely skimmed her earlier today burned with an intensity that nearly stole her breath. This time there was no doubt he was looking at her. No doubt, either, about what he was thinking. Her previous concerns about his lack of interest evaporated. Without a word, he reached behind him and pushed the door closed. Locked it. Pearl swallowed hard. “I thought you were going to stay away.” His voice sounded just as strangled as hers. “I tried.”
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Chapter Four As soon as the latch clicked, Caleb knew he’d surrendered the control he’d hung onto all evening. Something tightened around his chest, restricting his breathing as he gazed at the woman he couldn’t get out of his mind. The woman who could destroy everything he’d built. He dropped the basket of oysters, ham and potato salad, which he’d retrieved from the plant’s refrigerated walk-in cold box, on the shucking table. Being temporarily immersed in the cold temperature hadn’t chilled his lust as he’d hoped. “Come here,” he whispered. Pearl’s hand shook as she leaned the broom against the oyster table opposite him. It fell with a crash. As if in slow motion, she stepped forward and slid her arms around his waist. He locked his around her before she could change her mind and lowered his head to claim her mouth. A groan rumbled in the back of his throat as her soft lips yielded under his. Everything he’d held back today burst free like a boat torn from its anchor. All the sensible decisions he’d made about her went down the drain in the floor near his feet. He should stop. Surely he was bruising her mouth. Instead, her fingers dug into his back, spurring him on. His hands moved over her back too, pulling the gray fabric of her dress taut, wanting to tear the ugly thing off. It was much too plain to cover her tempting body. Even though he hadn’t had nearly enough of her sweet mouth yet, he pulled his face away to gulp some badly needed oxygen. Regaining the slightest bit of control, he buried his face against her soft hair. She smelled earthy and musky-sweet like flowers growing in the shade. “I’ve thought about you all day,” he said. When she looked up at him, the hurt in her eyes was impossible to miss. “I have too but when you didn’t notice me earlier, I thought—” “Oh, I noticed you, all right.” He remembered all too well how hard it was to keep his distance while he watched her work. How impossibly damn hard it was to constantly remind himself who he was and who she was and how they had to act in public. Her hands moved to his chest. The heat of them penetrated his shirt, hardening his cock. “You didn’t speak,” she said. “You didn’t even look at me.”
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He touched her cheek, losing himself in the depths of her dark eyes. “I couldn’t. I was afraid if I so much as looked at you, I’d lose control. We both have our roles to play during the day.” She nodded. “Of course. I feel silly.” “I think people would talk if I’d kissed you and ripped your dress off in front of everyone, don’t you?” “Is that what you wanted to do when you saw me?” she asked, giggling like a young girl. He held her closer, unable to resist grinding his penis against her soft pelvis. “You have no idea.” “I told myself it was just as well if you’d lost interest in me,” she said. “We shouldn’t be here…doing this.” He kissed her brow, savoring the smooth, coffee-hued skin. “I know but here we are.” When she traced a finger over his moustache, a dozen flames lit inside his body. Oh how he wanted her. All of her. He felt the knowledge in his gut, just as he could sometimes predict the weather at sea or the oyster harvest. He would have her. It wasn’t a matter of if anymore but when. God, he’d wanted to do it today when he’d seen her working so hard. He’d wanted to tell the whole world she belonged to him and then take her from behind. Lift her dress, grip that sweet, curvy ass and plunge deep inside. “I thought last night was a dream. I can’t believe we’re back here again.” “Believe it,” he said. A frown marred her smooth forehead. “But if this is so wrong, why does it feel so wonderful?” He looked down at the breasts filling out her dress, wondering if she’d slap him again if he dared to touch them. They’d decided it was best to keep their distance from each other. After one taste of her mouth, it was clear that decision wasn’t going to work. She squealed softly when he suddenly lifted her and put her up on the oyster table. “Why did you do that?” she asked. “I want to look at you,” he said. “I suppose I can’t object to that,” she replied. He didn’t know what the rules were anymore and it didn’t matter. When it came to her, they changed by the minute. One moment she slapped him and insisted on being a proper lady. The next she clung to him and kissed him as if the world were ending. All he knew was how much they wanted each other and he wasn’t about to waste this precious piece of time they had together. To hell with tomorrow. “Will you share an oyster with me again?” he asked. “They’re aphrodisiacs, you know.” 37
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“An aphro-what?” she asked. He grabbed one from the pile and put it on a cutting block beside her. “They heighten desire.” Her lips curved into a shy smile that went straight to his balls. “I don’t think we need help there.” He watched her breasts rise and fall, surprised by how fast she breathed. They would fill his hands perfectly, he realized. “Take the oyster into your mouth,” he told her. “Then give it to me with your tongue.” After he shucked it, he placed it on her outstretched tongue and shivered, imagining that tongue on the head of his cock instead. Then he lowered his head, holding out his own tongue. She dropped the oyster, hot and wet from her mouth, onto his tongue. He swallowed convulsively, too excited to stop and savor the taste of it. “Your turn now.” He shucked another oyster and placed it on his tongue. He groaned as her lips encircled his tongue, pulling away the prize. Hot fluid trickled inside his trousers from the tip of his cock. His entire pelvis ached with such desire he thought he might explode. “Did you swallow it?” he asked. She nodded, sticking out her tongue for his inspection. It was clean but he longed to see droplets of his semen there instead. Dinner was all but forgotten. The oysters had only made him hunger for one thing—her. He focused his attention on her legs. Despite her small, girlish body, every inch of her was all woman. She wore sensible leather shoes in good condition. His fingers began there and moved to trace circles on her slim ankles. Then he stroked the lengths of her shapely calves, his fingers sliding over her silky stockings. The way her breaths caught and her head lolled told him how much it affected her. “Are these silk?” he asked. “Yes, they’re hand-me-downs from the daughter of the family my mother and I worked for,” she replied. “Most women here don’t wear stockings, especially in hot weather.” And certainly not silk. “They’re probably too easy to nick with all the oyster shells around.” She shrugged. “I’ve always worn stockings. I’d feel naked without them.” Finding it much too easy to picture her naked, he slid his hands higher, palming her knees. “I wouldn’t want them to get damaged. Let’s take them off.” She clasped her knees together, pinching his thumbs between them. “I don’t think that’s a very good idea.” Caleb took a slow, patient breath. The proper side of her was back. Maybe it had been there all along, temporarily buried under passion. He had to keep her feeling good
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every moment so she wouldn’t have time to think. So he wouldn’t have time to think either… His stilled his hands on her knees even though it took everything he had not to pry her legs apart like two halves of an oyster and finally claim the prize inside. “As I told you last night,” she began. “We can’t—” “I know, honey. You’re saving yourself for marriage.” His fingers inched higher, testing the tops of her thighs just above the knees. “I just want to touch your legs. Nothing more.” That was a lie but touching her would be better than nothing. She looked up at the ceiling, shaking her head. “It’s wrong. I shouldn’t.” “Please, Pearl. It won’t hurt anything. Show me how to take them off or do it yourself. It’s up to you.” Her expressive mouth worked as if she fought an inner battle. After waiting several moments that felt like hours, he gulped when she slowly lifted the hem of her dress. He watched without breathing as the gray fabric slid higher and higher up her coffeecolored thighs and stopped just above her ivory-colored garters. Caleb’s heart nearly pounded out of his throat as she took his hands from her knees and pulled them to the tiny fasteners. He made short work of flicking them open. She even lifted her legs slightly, one at a time, so he could undo the ones on the bottom. His hands ached to push higher and explore every private inch of her but that would have to wait. This seduction reminded him of catching crabs when he was a boy. Lunge too fast with the net and the scared crab swam away, maybe never to return. Patience caught crabs. Dip the net so slowly the crab didn’t even notice until it was completely surrounded. Then bring up the prize. The tops of the stockings, no longer pulled taut by the garter, gapped to reveal bare flesh. Still moving as slowly as he could possibly stand, he hooked his fingers over the edges and pulled them all the way down. Goose bumps appeared on her skin in the wake of the stockings unrolling. By the time he reached her ankles, a small moan came from her parted mouth. He left the stockings rolled around her ankles and her shoes on. There were more important things to attend to. His hands traveled back up to sample all the beautiful bare skin he’d uncovered on the way down. Her goose bumps disappeared under his touch and the heat it generated. He could do this all day, every day. To hell with oysters and Rockfield Oyster House. During all those years he’d wasted his life living like a monk, he hadn’t known how much he was missing. “Does that feel good?” he asked. Her head lolled back as she parted her legs a few inches. “Yes. Why is it that no one else’s touch makes me feel the way yours does?”
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His hands halted on her calves. “Has someone else been touching you?” “Jimmy Clark.” Caleb dropped his hands. Her reply hit him like a punch to the stomach. Just how many men did she mess around with anyway? Was her innocent act just that—an act? What made their time together so special was the belief that he was the only man who shared this passion with her. He wasn’t about to stand in line. His jaw tightened to the point of pain. “Jimmy touches you…like this?” She lifted her head and smiled at him. “Of course not. He touched my arm a couple of times today. When you touched my chin yesterday for the first time, I felt so many things but when he touched me I felt nothing at all. Why is that?” Caleb’s taut joints loosened with relief. “Because we have something special. It sounds as if Jimmy might be a little sweet on you.” He could kick himself. Talking about anything but them would break the mood. She’d start thinking too much and put her stockings on again. “I think he is. Touch me again,” she said, “so I can make sure you’re really special.” “Gladly.” But he had other things planned besides touching. He began at her ankle, putting his mouth on her. When he dragged his tongue across her flesh, over the swell of her calf, she gasped and parted her legs a few inches more. “Well? Am I special?” he asked. “Yes.” Her reply came out as a breath. Once started, he couldn’t stop. He lifted one leg slightly and licked the sensitive area behind her knee. “Am I the only man who can make you feel this way?” “Yes, Caleb. Yes!” Her words wrapped around his cock, hardening him to stone. He needed to be her man, her only man. She touched his hair as he moved higher and kissed her inner thighs halfway between her knees and the loose garter clasps. He toyed with them as he kissed and licked. The thick scent of her arousal went to his head, making him dizzy with need and reminding him how close he was to her hidden wet folds. Something louder than a moan rewarded him when he nipped the tender skin of her inner thigh between his teeth. His member ached so hard he had to clap a hand over the front of his trousers as if to keep it contained there. Panting and aware his face was slick with sweat, he looked up at her and ran a finger around the round neckline of her dress. “I need to taste you here too and I don’t want to get slapped this time.” “I won’t,” she promised. Her hands trembled as she fumbled with the buttons of her bodice but his impatient hands pushed hers away. The sight of her white bra blocking his way made him frown.
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“You certainly wear a lot of undergarments,” he grumbled. Before she could reply, he pulled down the straps and then the cups until what he was after displayed proudly before him. Her nipples were much darker than her skin, he realized. More importantly, they were long, succulent and erect. He couldn’t get them into his mouth fast enough. Not wanting her to close her legs again, he positioned himself between them and braced his hands behind her on the table. Then he leaned his mouth to one upturned nipple. Her breath hissed in the back of her throat when he hesitated. She must want this as much as he did. Maybe even more. Deciding to tease her, he dragged his moustache across the tip. He wanted to make her as hard as his cock. She gyrated in response, pressing her breast against his moustache and mouth. Without warning her, he extended his tongue and flicked the erect tip back and forth until he thought they both might go crazy. He groaned when she clasped the back of his head and pulled him closer. Reading her needs, he opened his mouth and took the succulent nipple inside. He intended to savor her slowly but that was impossible. His mouth constricted, sucking harder than he intended as his lips clamped down. Her fingers dug into the back of his neck. The sensation of scratching nails and the sting that followed barely registered. To his delight, she pulled his head to her other breast. He gave it the same treatment but faster because as much as he wanted to tease the point slowly to full erection, he couldn’t slow down this time. He pulled her into his mouth, rolling the tender bud with his tongue. The vision of a red light formed in his mind, warning him they were both out of control but trying to stop it would be harder than halting a train. If they did too much more of this, he knew he’d spread her legs the rest of the way—dangling stockings and all—and fuck her right here on the table. And he wouldn’t be able to stop until he was satisfied. He also knew she didn’t want that. Pushing off the table for leverage, he forced himself to step back. The energy it took to restrain himself sapped him, making him hang his head for a moment. “What’s wrong?” she asked. Everything, he thought as he looked up at her upturned breasts, the dusky nipples slick with his saliva and swollen from his hard, insistent sucking. “I want you so much.” His voice sounded so raw he barely recognized it as his own. Feeling a bit more in control, he moved closer to her again. He wasn’t done with her tonight and if he just went more slowly he was sure he could stay in control more easily.
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When he cleared his throat and gripped her knees to part them, she held them closed with surprising strength. “Am I going too fast?” he asked. She looked away. “It’s not that.” He persisted and spread her legs until he saw the prize he sought. She wore step-in panties of white cotton and the wide legs teased him with a view of her nether hair. The large, wet circle revealed just how much he’d aroused her. “They’re old and very plain,” she admitted, lifting her chin. So that’s what was bothering her. Her previous employer’s charity hadn’t extended to undergarments. “I couldn’t care less, honey,” he replied. “In fact, I like silk stockings and old cotton panties.” The dampness made the thin, worn fabric look thinner, hinting at the shape and rich coffee hue of her folds. Caleb gripped her knees hard and brought them together, hiding the slick treasure from view. “It’s getting late.” He pointed to the dinner he’d brought. “We should eat.” Instead, she glanced up at the clock on the wall and put her hand over her mouth. “Leroy has been waiting a long time. What must he think? And my aunt is surely waiting up for me.” He winked at her. “Tell them there was extra cleaning to do.” He took a deep breath and helped her roll her stockings back up. “Pearl, I didn’t just stop because of the time. I was starting to lose control and I know your virginity is important to you.” “Thank you,” she replied as she hurriedly snapped the garter fasteners and smoothed down the legs of her panties and the hem of her dress. “We shouldn’t even have done this. I can’t believe I’m so weak. It can’t happen again.” When she pulled her bra straps back into place and worked on buttoning her bodice, he helped her with that too. “We said that last time,” he reminded her. “I think we’re well beyond trying to stay away from each other now, don’t you?” She smoothed her pinned hair. “Maybe you’re right. I hunger for you as if I’m starving and it never goes away.” Caleb’s heart did a somersault of joy in his chest. “I was thinking we could work out an arrangement.” “An arrangement?” He took a hanky from his shirt pocket, reminding him of the day he’d met her, and mopped his damp forehead. “Yes. We would spend this time together every evening you work late.” Her arched eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Every evening?”
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“You’ll marry someday.” He took her hand and studied it, unable to look into her haunting eyes right now. “And that’s when I’ll lose you. For now, let’s just enjoy this. I swear I won’t take your virginity from you.” “But it’s still wrong, even if I stay a virgin.” He interlaced his white fingers with her dark ones and held up their locked hands. “Look at the colors of our skin, Pearl. Under the circumstances, this is all we can ever have. Our passion isn’t very convenient but it’s a gift we can’t just throw away.” She traced their interlaced fingers with the finger of her other hand. “I wish things were different.” “So do I but they’re not,” he said firmly. “I need you. I never realized how lonely and obsessed with work I was.” “I need you too,” she whispered. “I never want you to feel pressured to do anything you don’t want to do and your jobs are safe no matter what you decide,” he reminded her. “Will you agree to our arrangement?” She lowered her eyelids and hesitated but when she lifted them again, he saw the green depths of passion in her eyes. When she nodded at last, his heart did another somersault and he kissed her to lock their agreement, gently and slowly this time. They had time and a future to look forward to now. Not much of one but it was better than nothing. He helped her off the table. “I could buy you some fancy panties if you like. They make them with lace and fabric so sheer you can see right through it.” She held up a hand. “Absolutely not.” “Then don’t wear any tomorrow.” Pearl blinked in surprise. “That wouldn’t be proper. I could forgo the stockings…” “Wear the stockings and garters but no panties. That’s an order.” She lifted her chin and went to fetch the fallen broom behind him. “We’ll see. Caleb!” He spun around. “What is it?” “Your neck,” she exclaimed. “It’s full of scratches and you’re bleeding.” Barely aware of the vague sting, he swiped a hand across the back of his neck. “I’ll be damned,” he said when he saw the traces of blood. She took the hanky from his hand and wiped his wounds. “I’m so sorry. I can’t believe I did that to you.” “I’m not a bit sorry,” he said proudly. “I guess I’ll claim I got into a tangle with a wildcat. At least it’s not far from the truth.” “And I have to be careful not to bathe in front of Sadie or Wilma. I think you bruised my breasts.”
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He headed to the door. “We’ll both have to be more careful. If anyone ever found out about this, it would be a disaster.” “So why are we doing it?” she asked. He hated the worry that knit her delicate brow and knowing he put it there with his selfish wants. “Because we can’t not do it but our guard has to be up with everyone at all times.” He put his hand on the doorknob. “I’ll be thinking about you all day tomorrow.” “Me too. Until tomorrow,” she said. “Shall I walk you to the restaurant to meet Leroy?” “No, I can manage,” she replied. Just before she left, she kissed his cheek. “Good night, Caleb.” After she’d gone, he leaned against the wall. His legs were so weak and rubbery he nearly slid down the length of it yet his heart raced as if he’d run across the island and back. What had he done? He’d just made an arrangement he had no business making but his desire hadn’t given him a choice. Until Pearl married, he was going to savor every stolen moment with her. As he turned the overhead lights off in their special room and closed the door, he hoped she didn’t marry anyone else for a long, long time.
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Chapter Five Pearl took her place at work the next day, avoiding eye contact with Leroy. “You’re late,” he’d told her last night at the restaurant. “The boss man treat you all right? He ain’t forcing himself on you or anything, is he?” The blood had drained from her face as she wondered how much he suspected. “Of course not, Leroy. He’s very polite. I just clean like he tells me to.” Luckily he’d seemed satisfied with her answer. She’d spent so long getting ready that morning Wilma had fussed at her. In the end, Pearl had decided to follow Caleb’s orders not to wear panties, but regretted it. The loose legs of the undergarment had given her more protection than she’d realized. Now she felt every draft caress her bare skin, reminding her of his hands on her legs, pulling down her stockings and kissing her inner thighs. What if a wind blew through the open unloading dock door and raised her dress, exposing her? Luckily the warm morning air told her it would be a still, summery day. She kept her legs pressed as tightly together as she could while she worked, sure everyone knew her secret. For some reason, the thought made her wet. Every time she reached for an oyster, the tips of her breasts—sore from Caleb’s relentless mouth—rubbed the inside of her bra. That made her even wetter. What would he do to her tonight? His order not to wear panties suggested he had plans for the spot between her legs. She hoped so. All the attention he’d given her thighs last night had made it throb with unbearable heaviness. She’d nearly sat doubled over on the boat ride home because the sweet ache pressed against her entire pelvis. What had the man done to her? Even the sight of the oysters made her tingle with need. Each time she shucked one, she imagined how wet and arousing it would look on Caleb’s tongue. To her horror, a hot rivulet of fluid dripped down the inside of her thigh. She froze, sure it would course all the way down her leg for all to see. “Are you all right?” Jimmy asked her. “You’re standing so stiffly you look sick or something.” “I’m fine,” she replied. “Please don’t interrupt your shucking on my account.” After he finally turned back to his work, Pearl expelled the breath she’d been holding. Although her thighs were still damp, nothing rolled down to her calves. The tops of her stockings must have caught the droplets. The weather wasn’t helping. It was hard to tell where the humidity in the air ended and the moisture on her skin began.
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Good heavens. What had become of her? She’d gone from respectable girl to a dog in heat. How could she have agreed to Caleb’s indecent arrangement? She could almost hear Mama’s voice, telling her how wrong it was and how disappointed she was in her. Pearl pried an oyster open with extra force. It’s not vulgar, she told herself. Caleb was special. If they were the same color, they could court and marry like a normal couple, but they weren’t. He was such a caring man, only taking from her what she gave instead of forcing himself on her as many men in his position might have done. He’d even stopped when his control had threatened to slip. What would happen if he did lose control? Would she be able to stop him? She hadn’t been in control last night herself. When he put his searing, wet mouth on some of the most tender areas of her body, she would probably agree to almost anything. He’d given her his word he wouldn’t take her virginity and she trusted he’d abide by it. She pushed thoughts of Caleb from her mind and focused on her shucking, hoping her thighs would dry and stay that way. Shucking was so automatic to her now that there wasn’t as much to focus on as she’d hoped. And just when she’d successfully gotten her mind off him, she heard his voice. She took a breath and dropped the latest piece of oyster meat into a pail. At least now she was prepared for him to ignore her. His words came back to her as she reached for the next oyster. We both have our roles to play. Despite the way her body had turned into something wild and unrecognizable, she was determined to play her role well. She put her full attention on the oyster sitting on her cutting block, holding her breath until he walked by. “Morning, Jimmy. Still shucking at the speed of light, I see.” The noisy din of shucking vanished. Instead, Caleb’s easygoing waterman’s accent wrapped itself around her as if it were a silk ribbon, drifting up her legs… Go away! “And how are you, Miss Wilson?” Pearl’s throat went completely dry as she turned around. He certainly wasn’t ignoring her today. The unpredictable man stood right in front of her, fixing her with a white-blue stare so intense it nearly melted her to the floor. His eyes glittered with meaning and so many unspoken, secret words. “I’m well, Mr. Rockfield.” He stood with his thumbs casually hooked in his suspenders where they attached to his trousers. Against her will, her gaze drifted there and skimmed across his pelvis before she directed it back to his face. She remembered to look for the scratches on his neck. He wore a tie with the collar pulled high in the back but because she knew what to look for, she saw a scratch from
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the side. Knowing she’d put it there made her stomach feel as if it floated out of her body. “Did you follow your instructions today?” he asked. When she realized he meant her panties, searing heat raced across her face before shooting down to her naked bottom. Unable to speak, she nodded. “Excellent,” he said before he sauntered away. After he’d gone, she gripped the edges of the oyster table and struggled to catch her breath. She nearly jumped to the roof when Jimmy touched her arm. “Are you sure you’re not sick?” he asked. “It’s awful hot today. Maybe you should lie down for a bit.” “Maybe later,” she replied. “It is hot.” “And don’t let the boss make you nervous,” Jimmy added. “He’s a fair man and treats us pretty good.” But Pearl barely listened. Why had Caleb asked such a daring question? Her reaction had drawn Jimmy’s attention and maybe that of others too. Was he trying to reassure her after ignoring her yesterday or did he enjoy playing with danger?
***** Pearl sat in the lunchroom next to her family, wishing the day were more than half over. All she could do was think about that private room and what would happen tonight. Guilt and anticipation had warred inside her for so many hours they had left her limp and exhausted. Jimmy sat next to her. The sleeves of his green shirt were rolled up high enough to expose his biceps and Sadie’s gaze clung to the damp, coppery-brown muscles. Pearl might have stared at them herself if she’d never met Caleb. Now they didn’t interest her any more than the wooden table did. “Are you feeling better, Pearl?” he asked. “Maybe some of this chicken will help.” When he handed her a chicken drumstick from his lunch pail, she hesitated. The scent of it blended into the other cold meals around her. It looked tastier than the sandwich from Wilma’s house but she didn’t want to be beholden to him. “If you don’t want it, I’ll take it,” Sadie commented. Not wanting to draw any more attention to herself, Pearl took the chicken. “Thank you, Jimmy.” Pearl stared at the piece of chicken in her hand, imagining all too easily a different scenario. What if she were to feel sick like this someday because she was expecting Caleb’s child? She shivered at the awful thought. Her life would be doomed. Everyone she knew here—Caleb, her family and both the black and white communities—would shun her and her child. She wouldn’t be able to work either.
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Humidity pressed her from all directions and became a sea of moving jaws as hungry workers wolfed down their food. Where was her appetite? The others were watching, so she forced herself to take a bite of the chicken. She’d gone so numb it tasted like wood. Getting with child wouldn’t happen, she convinced herself but she knew she was taking perilous risks. The only thing standing between her and the ruin she imagined was her and Caleb’s self-control. Neither was much of a defense against their strong passion. Wilma frowned at her. “You sick? Is it the heat?” In the meantime, she would have to do a better job at hiding her emotions about Caleb. Everyone thought she was sick. Maybe she was. Something had taken over her mind and body. “It must be the heat,” Pearl decided to say as she held up her metal cup. “I’m drinking extra water.” “She works two jobs.” The pride in Wilma’s voice brought a sullen snort from Sadie. “Eat, girl,” Wilma told Pearl. “Got to keep your strength up.” Because they needed the money, Pearl knew. Jimmy leaned his elbows on the table. “I don’t think women should work. It makes them old before their time.” When Wilma looked down, Pearl shot her a sympathetic glance. “When I get a woman,” the young man continued, “I’m going to make sure she stays home and does absolutely nothing.” Wilma beamed at him as if he’d said magic words. “You’re about the age for marrying, aren’t you, Jimmy?” He answered with a shy smile. “Reckon I am. So, Pearl, what do you do in your spare time?” The piece of chicken she’d just swallowed lodged in her throat. Did he know? How could he? The innocent look on his face told her he was simply interested in getting to know her. She wiped her greasy hands on her napkin. “I don’t have much spare time.” Wilma glared at her brusque answer but Sadie, sitting across from them, batted her lashes and leaned across the table. “I like to sew and sing in church,” she said. “I’m a real good cook too.” Jimmy barely nodded before looking back at Pearl. “Speaking of church, the picnic is this Sunday. Would it be all right if I sat with you?” When she didn’t answer, Sadie filled in. “You can sit with me anytime, Jimmy.” “We’d love to have you join us,” Wilma said. “We can figure out who sits where then.”
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Then she covered her lunch pail and stood. “Pearl, Sadie, come outside for a minute. I got to talk to the both of you.” What now? Between the lack of panties, her thoughts and Jimmy’s attention, Pearl’s nerves felt like a pile of shredded strings. At least there were only five minutes left in the lunch break. Outside, Sadie stood with her hip cocked and her arms folded while Wilma loomed over both girls with her hands on her hips. “I don’t care for the way you two acted in there around Jimmy,” the older woman said. “Sadie, stop forcing yourself on the boy. He ain’t interested in you.” Sadie’s lower lip stuck out and her eyes flashed at Pearl in hatred. Pearl wished Wilma would be gentler with her daughter. Then Wilma turned to Pearl. “And you. What’s wrong with you? You acted as though he wasn’t even there.” “I wasn’t feeling well,” she pleaded. Wilma squeezed her arm and shook it. “Well get over it. You could have a real good future with Jimmy. Then you won’t have to work so hard.” Like me, the expression on her face said. Was her aunt just after money or did she have her best interests at heart? Pearl wasn’t sure but she realized there might be more beneath the woman’s gruff exterior than she’d first thought. “Get inside, you two,” Wilma said. “We don’t want to be late.” The midday sun must be getting to Pearl because she had a crazy urge to cling to her aunt as she had her mother when she was a child. Caleb had confused her so much she didn’t know what to do or what to think anymore. She was a woman now, she reminded herself, and very much on her own.
***** Caleb cursed when he dropped the second file folder in a row. The late afternoon sun slanting through his office window told him it was almost quitting time, as if his cock didn’t already know. He could hardly wait for his time with Pearl in their private room, especially since he knew she wasn’t wearing panties today. Recalling the sweet taste of her thighs made the numbers he was looking at blur before his eyes. Instead of ink, he needed to smell her scent and her skin felt a lot better than these endless papers. Last night he’d nearly lost control. Tonight he needed to explore more of her before reaching that point again. He glared at his watch, wishing the time would pass faster. “Henry. What are you doing here?” he asked. The sight of his brother usually cheered him but not today. What the hell did he want at quitting time? 49
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“Put all that paperwork away, Caleb. Tonight we’re going to play the best poker game of the year. Some fellows from Baltimore are visiting the island and they’re loaded.” Caleb sighed. Normally he’d relish the chance to smoke a cigar and play some cards. That was before he’d met Pearl. “Thanks but I can’t tonight. I’m buried in paperwork.” Henry took off his cap and spun it around his finger, making the fish hooks jingle. “You can’t work all the time. It’s Friday night.” “I haven’t even had a chance to get into your plans for the bulkhead expansion,” Caleb said, holding out his hands, palms up. “It’s just as well,” Henry explained. “Mayor Carter wants all new construction to fit the vision of Oyster Island.” “What the hell does that mean?” Caleb asked. “It means he gets to dictate how we design it.” “But my dock is part of my business.” “Forget about that now.” His brother waved. “It probably won’t be built until next spring anyway.” Henry said something else but at some point Caleb had stopped listening. Remembering how succulent Pearl’s nipples had tasted claimed all his attention. His brother tugged on his shirt collar, pulling him out of the fantasy. “What are you doing?” he asked. “I asked you where you got those scratches,” Henry insisted. Caleb shrugged. “I was, uh, pulling dead branches off my rosebushes.” “Don’t you have a gardener that does that once a week?” Heat prickled across his cheeks. “Well, I couldn’t wait for him.” Henry crossed his arms and shot him a shrewd look with dark blue eyes. “That’s strange. You don’t have any scratches on your arms. Caleb Rockfield, have you finally been with a woman?” The heat in Caleb’s cheeks intensified as he debated what to answer. If he admitted he did, he’d have to make up something about who she was. “Of course not,” he retorted. “I really am busy here. Play an extra hand for me.” “All right. By the way, the mayor wants us to go fishing with him tomorrow.” Henry screwed his cap back on. “Unless you plan to weasel out of that too?” Caleb leaned back in his chair, wishing he could get out of it. “No, I’ll go. See you at Oyster Harbor’s pier at sunrise.” After his brother finally left, he expelled a big breath, ruffling the papers in front of him. The boyish anticipation he’d felt earlier had given way to a heavy feeling as if he’d swallowed a bunch of fishing sinkers.
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How he hated lying, especially to his own brother, the person he trusted most on Oyster Island. Before Pearl came into his life, he’d hardly lied at all. It was the price he had to pay, he supposed, to be with her.
***** The sound of the lock clicking in the small shucking room brought a flood of juice to Pearl’s inner thighs. Caleb hadn’t even bothered assigning any cleaning tasks to her this evening. He must only want her. This time he brought a blanket in addition to the usual basket of oysters and food. The window shades were already down. “What’s that for?” she asked. “I realized how rude it was of me to expect you to sit on that hard table,” he said. As he laid out the blanket and smoothed it, her belly tightened. So he planned to put her on the table again. When he pulled her into his arms and kissed her, joy sang through her veins. All the worries, confusion and fatigue tormenting her all day vanished. It was as if she’d just now come alive. His thumb caressed her cheek. “You look tired. I hope you haven’t been feeling guilty.” She looked down. “I’m afraid so.” He took a deep breath and looked into her eyes with his pale blue ones. “Do you want to end our arrangement? I don’t like seeing you upset.” His caring expression and voice filled her with warmth and strength. “No, Caleb. I just wasn’t expecting you to talk to me today about my panties.” When he laughed, his head tipped back. “Yesterday you complained I ignored you. What do you want?” Pearl couldn’t help laughing along. Despite the passion he could ignite in her, she realized she enjoyed just being with him like this too. She traced her finger over his black moustache, wishing he were her man. At least he was for a few hours. It was better than nothing. “I want you.” To prove it, she untied his tie and let the ends dangle. He smiled as he pulled it off and flung it on the table then unbuttoned his first two shirt buttons. “Then let’s start off with some oysters.” After he shucked the oysters, they ate one each. In an odd way, the familiarity of the ritual comforted her like snuggling into a quilt on a cold night. She also appreciated how he spent time holding and talking to her before seducing her. This time they ate. Pearl reached for the cold roast beef, realizing she’d need her strength. “Thank you for dinner again,” she said. “Did you prepare it yourself?” 51
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He shook his head. “The Sapphire Crab periodically delivers cold meals. I store them in the refrigeration room to eat when I work late.” It sounded like a lonely life. His hands skimmed her shoulders after they’d finished eating. “What was it like wearing no panties today?” “Strange,” she replied. “I felt every current of air but when I thought of you…” She turned her head but he turned it back with an insistent finger. “What did you think? Tell me.” “I thought about what you did. What you’re about to do,” she replied. “I was so wet I—Caleb, stop. I can’t talk about this.” Was she really having this indecent conversation? She was so lost now she barely recognized herself anymore. His hand slid down to grip her backside as if he owned it. “I need to hear it, honey. How wet did I make you?” The heat of his hand burned through the fabric of her flowered cotton dress. “I felt it on my legs. It was embarrassing.” He ran a finger along her bottom lip. “I’m sorry it embarrassed you but after I get through with you tonight you’ll be glad you didn’t wear them.” His words sent a shudder of anticipation through her body so powerful it made her teeth click together. Without another word, he lifted her to the table, seating her on the blanket. Her breath stuttered when he gripped her knees. How could his hands be so firm and strong yet butterfly light? It was as if he knew she didn’t need much coaxing. The hem of her dress tickled deliciously as he slid it up to her garters. “Spread your beautiful legs for me, Pearl,” he told her. “Just like an oyster.” She only opened them a few inches. Without her panties, he’d see all of her. She didn’t know if she could tolerate that. Would their agreement be broken if she didn’t do everything he asked? “Should I take my stockings off?” she asked, stalling him. “No, leave them on this time.” Her heart accelerated when he bent to lick the top of her thigh. The sensation of his tongue through the silk sent spasms through her hands. “Spread your legs,” he told her again. “Please. I need to see your cunt and I don’t want to force you.” “Such language, Caleb.” Nevertheless, the vulgar word made her flesh burn hotter. “I’m not going to waste time making up a new name for it,” he replied. What if seeing her naked cunt made him lose control? Her knees trembled as the familiar battle fought inside her. She closed her eyes and did as he asked. “So lovely and wet,” he whispered. “I could stare at you all day.” 52
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She opened her eyes when she thought she was ready to see his reaction. His searing blue stare ignited an urgent pulse inside her. Could he see the hot fluid she felt flowing from her? Touch me, Caleb. Stop looking. Touch. Touch! Instead, his fingers toyed with her garters without unsnapping them. Each brush of his skin against hers tightened her belly another notch. Her limbs quivered with need. He had to notice but she couldn’t stop it. At last, Caleb traced a finger to her core and skimmed it lightly over her folds. His touch was so electrifying it almost lifted her off the blanket. “Put your feet on the edge of the table so I can get to you better.” He helped her into position until her legs were folded at each knee. She rested her hands on her upturned knees. Caleb’s shirtsleeves were rolled up to the elbows so she watched the muscles flex in his arm as his fingers explored her. When he concentrated on the hooded bundle of flesh above her opening, something between a sob and a yell poured from her throat. “Shh, not so loud, honey,” he warned her. “There shouldn’t be anyone else around this time of night but you never know.” She nodded, horrified at the thought someone could have heard her. “This is your pearl,” he said, “the most sensitive part of you.” As he jiggled it back and forth, liquid fire poured through her entire body. She’d never dreamed such sensations were humanly possible. Every touch tightened her muscles a little more. She couldn’t bear much more of this. Something slowly built inside her as if she might explode. What was happening to her? If she was sick, this was the most frightening illness she’d ever had. She had no idea what would happen to her from one moment to the next. What if the intensity killed her? When he slid a finger slowly into her channel, she reached out and grabbed a fistful of dark, glossy hair. His digit felt hard and huge, stretching her and adding more fuel to the fire building inside her. “Caleb, I’m scared,” she admitted. “Something is going to happen.” He reached up with his free hand and pulled her fingers from his hair. “I’ll say. I’m going to go bald if you keep doing that.” First she’d scratched his neck and now she was nearly pulling his hair out! She had to figure out how to control the wildness inside her before it became too dangerous. “I just feel…strange,” she insisted. He kissed the front and back of her hand while his other finger rested inside her body. “That’s how you’re supposed to feel. Something will happen. You’re going to come.”
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She gasped when his finger pulled slowly out of her. “I feel as if I’m going to explode and soon.” “It’s called a climax and it’ll be the most wonderful thing you’ve ever felt.” He pushed back inside, deeper than he’d gone before. “Nothing bad will happen?” “Nothing bad will happen,” he replied. “I promise.” Perspiration coated her face and chest as she watched Caleb’s powerful white finger thrust in and out of her folds. Her lips wrapped around it like arms and coated his skin with her moisture. His penis would look the same way, she realized, only much bigger. But that part of him would never be inside her. She would just have to pretend his finger was his penis. That was easier to accomplish than she thought it would be. Every sensation in her body pooled in that one spot, intensifying with each lunge. The electric hum of the lights competed with the sounds of their breaths and his rubbing. “Faster,” she ordered. She hadn’t said that, her body had. It was in control now. Her hips thrust hard against his hand and her legs thrashed as if she were gripped by a violent fever. “So wild. So passionate,” he whispered. “You were made for this.” “Harder,” she ordered. “You’re going to come soon, Pearl.” A gasp filled her chest when his finger seemed to double in size. “You’re taking two of my fingers now,” he told her. She’d barely adjusted to that new sensation when his fingers fluttered inside her, igniting some magic spot. Something shot through her so powerfully it was as if someone had pulled the trigger of a gun. She went blind. Couldn’t breathe. Oh…no. Caleb! God. Help me. Her hips bucked off the table and her heart pounded even harder when she heard a scream. It took her several seconds to realize it was hers. She opened her eyes, realizing she could still see as she pitched face-forward off the table and into Caleb’s arms. She grabbed fistfuls of his shirt on the way down, pulling him to the floor with her. The hem of her dress tangled around her waist as she landed on top of him. After the startled look left his face and he caught the breath she’d probably knocked out of him, he grinned. “You’re determined to kill me, aren’t you?” “I’m sorry, Caleb, but was that it?” she asked. “Did I have a climax?” He laughed. “My God, woman. Do you have to ask? That was a climax for the record books.” Feeling limp and giddy, she laughed too. “I thought I was going to die.”
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His moustache ground against her face as he kissed her hard and possessively. “I never imagined you’d be so wild. You’re such a treasure, Pearl. My secret treasure.” Their weight shifted, bringing her bare cleft against the hard ridge under his trousers. She ground against the bulge. His hands gripped her hips and stopped them. “Don’t move. I’m already half a moment away from fucking you.” The flushed, taut look on his face told her he wasn’t exaggerating. She knew he was hanging onto control to honor her wishes so she didn’t want to make it more difficult than it already was. She must have gasped because he apologized. “I forget you’re not used to my language,” he said. “My mother never taught me those words,” she replied. Or that her body was capable of such exquisite sensation. “I want to feel like that again,” she whispered. He smoothed the damp roll of hair pinned behind her ear. “You will. I’m going to make you feel it again and again. Don’t wear panties Monday evening either, although I don’t know how I’m going to get any work done knowing how hot and wet you’ll be while you’re working.” “I won’t be able to concentrate either,” she agreed, “especially after this.” His face grew serious. “We’ll have to make sure you don’t scream next time, though.” She put a hand to her mouth. “I tried not to. It just surprised me. I hope no one heard me. Oh, Caleb. What if someone did?” He kissed her before she could say anything else. “You worry too damn much.” A noise from outside sent him rolling out from beneath her. “What was that?” she whispered. He sprang to his feet. “I heard it too.” The knock on the door sent her heart to her throat. “Someone knows, Caleb,” she whispered soundlessly. “Someone knows.” And she feared their little world would shatter as quickly as it had begun.
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Chapter Six “Pearl? Are you in there?” Her heart pounded in tune with the knocking on the door as she hurriedly smoothed her hair and dress. “It’s just Leroy,” she whispered to Caleb. Caleb smoothed his shirt front before unlocking and opening the door. “Thank you for cleaning this lock, Pearl. It works much better now.” “Y-you’re welcome, Mr. Rockfield.” She dusted her shaking hands as if she’d really been cleaning. “Hello, Leroy,” Caleb said. Although Pearl’s nerves felt tied in hundreds of tiny knots, Caleb seemed to assume the role of Mr. Rockfield—calm, polite and in charge—with ease. She glared at her cousin standing there in his familiar plaid cap. He’d scared her out of her mind for nothing. Because of the upcoming weekend, she wouldn’t see Caleb for two days. Thanks to Leroy, they hadn’t had a chance to say goodbye this evening. “What are you doing here?” she asked him. “I didn’t want you walkin’ around at night by yourself so I figured I’d come here and look for you. I heard voices coming from this room.” Her mouth went dry. He hadn’t heard her scream, had he? Caleb stepped closer to him. “You’re right, Leroy. I should have had someone escort her to meet you last night but I gave you specific instructions to wait at the restaurant.” Leroy looked down at the pail of food in his hand with guilty eyes. Pearl knew he bought extra food with Caleb’s money to bring home to the family. “From now on, you’ll wait at the restaurant. Is that understood?” Caleb asked. Caleb’s voice was kind but had a current of power running under it that allowed no room for argument. “Yes, sir.” Pearl stepped out of the room. “Good night,” Caleb called after them as they left. “See you all on Monday.” Pearl didn’t dare to even look back at the man who’d brought her such pleasure just minutes ago. As she and Leroy walked through the plant and outside toward the family boat, gritty sand and oyster shells crunched under their feet.
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Cool evening air reached under her dress to caress her bare, still-swollen…cunt, Caleb called it. She wished now she’d worn panties. Ever since Leroy had knocked on the door, she’d felt unbearably naked. She didn’t dare say a word as they walked toward Oyster Harbor. An occasional car rumbled down the road and in the distance she heard a boat engine. Leroy stared straight ahead at the lit pier. “What do you really do in that room, Pearl?” “I clean,” she insisted. He stopped short under a streetlight and faced her. “Do you think I’m stupid or something? I fooled around with a few girls before. I know the look they get in their eye when they’re satisfied. The same look you got right now.” Pearl looked away. “I told you, I just clean.” But her cousin stepped closer until he was just inches from her. “I also know how they smell.” Shame engulfed her in a grip of ice. Leroy’s words made her feel cheap, as if she were nothing more than some greedy whore. She slapped his face and ran. He caught up to her and pulled her by the arm to the dark side of the hardware store. “I’m just worried about you is all,” he said. Tears stung the backs of Pearl’s eyes. What had she been thinking? That she and Caleb could shut off the rest of the world like a light switch and pretend it didn’t exist? Leroy knew and she could no longer deny it. How long before the entire world knew? What would happen to her and Caleb then? She gripped the sleeves of Leroy’s shirt, almost tearing the thin fabric. “Please don’t say anything. Not even to Aunt Wilma. Especially to Aunt Wilma. Please!” “It ain’t right, you messin’ around with some white man. ‘Specially not the owner of the company. It’ll come to no good.” Pearl hugged her arms around herself, shivering more from emotion than the evening temperature. “It’s not like that, Leroy. He’s special and so caring.” Words tumbled out of her, straight from her heart to her mouth. “That time is all we have.” “Don’t you see you’re heading for serious trouble? I don’t want you to get hurt.” She touched her cousin’s cheek, feeling calmer now that she realized he was only looking out for her. “I’ll be very careful. I promise.” He took off his cap and studied it. This conversation must be embarrassing for him too. “If you’re lucky, he’ll just get tired of you. Are you prepared for that?” No. She hadn’t even thought it was possible but Leroy had made her realize crossing the color line was uncharted territory. Anything could happen. She was certain Caleb wouldn’t reject her, though. What they had was so special it would last.
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Then she remembered her plan to marry. How could she have forgotten such an important goal so easily? “This is just temporary, Leroy. I’m going to settle down and marry someone when the time is right.” “Unless you get knocked up with his half-breed bastard child before you get the chance.” Pearl’s fist clenched and she was tempted to slap him again. “I’m still a virgin.” Leroy put his cap back on and walked toward their boat. “For how long, cousin?” She caught his sleeve. “Promise me you won’t tell anyone.” The corner of his mouth turned down. “Don’t worry. I swear I ain’t going to say anything.” And she knew he wouldn’t. Caleb was his boss and no one in the family riled Aunt Wilma any more than necessary. As Pearl stepped into their boat with shaky legs, she wondered why her moments of joy with Caleb had to come at such a high price. At least it was worth it. The climax she’d experienced had been unlike anything she’d ever dreamed. It was as if she’d exploded into a million pieces and Caleb had put her back together again. She couldn’t wait to have another. The hardest thing she faced now was living without him for two whole days.
***** Caleb half-dozed in one of the canvas deck chairs on Mayor Carter’s yacht, The Great White, Saturday afternoon. The boat was so big it barely moved up and down. His brother sat in the chair next to him, sipping a bottle of beer, the smell of it mixing with the fish they’d caught. Water slapped against the hull while the sounds of the mayor’s snoring drifted up from below-deck. They were anchored out in the Patuxent River within sight of Oyster Island. My island, Caleb thought as he fiddled with his boater hat in his hands. “Well, as usual we’ve got buckets of fish and the mayor is out cold,” Henry said. “What do you want to do now?” Lick Pearl, Caleb thought. While he liked having her up on the oyster table, he didn’t want to limit their encounters to that one room. Leroy’s intrusion last night had ruffled his nerves, reminding him what a dangerous game they played. Their little sanctuary wouldn’t be quite the same now. Maybe he’d take her to some different places. A boat would be nice. They could lie on the bottom, rocking with the waves, while he feasted on her breasts or buried his tongue inside her wet pussy. The lips between her legs looked as kissable as her mouth.
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He must have replayed her powerful climax in his mind hundreds of times last night in his bed. He’d had to rub his own cock until he came himself just so he could get some sleep. With every thrust, he’d imagined his hardness inside her tight heat. Her passion could be dangerous on a boat, he thought. Her climax would probably capsize it. She would be unbelievable in bed too. How lucky he was to find such an incredible woman even though it couldn’t last. If only they could sail away somewhere magical where it could last. Caleb recoiled when a playful fist struck his arm. “I asked you what you want to do now,” Henry insisted. “What is wrong with you? Are you going deaf or something?” He shook his head as if to clear out his thoughts of Pearl but that was impossible. It was as if she’d planted an entire oyster bed inside him, layer upon layer. “There’s still some gas left in this thing,” Caleb replied. “Let’s cruise around a bit.” “Sure.” Henry gulped the rest of his beer. “Where should we tell the captain to take us?” “Crab Creek,” Caleb stated. His brother frowned. “Crab Creek? But that’s the colored section. What in the world do you want to go there for?” If he only knew, Caleb thought, savoring his special secret like a raw oyster on his tongue. “I just want to pass through,” he said. “I’ve never really seen it before and I’m curious.” He needed to see where Pearl lived. If he was lucky, he might even catch a glimpse of her. Monday night was too damn far away. Henry crossed his arms. “Mayor Carter wouldn’t approve.” Caleb gripped the rail. “I don’t need his approval for every little thing I do.” “Is that why you haven’t even looked at the bulkhead plans yet?” “Why do you fawn around that man so much?” Caleb asked his brother. “You even put worms on his hook for him today. It’s sickening.” The tips of Henry’s ears grew pink. “I don’t fawn. I get on well with my superiors, which makes life easier.” Caleb had spent his life doing the same thing. Not to the extent of Henry but close. Maybe that’s what sickened him most of all. He released the railing. “Are we going to Crab Creek or not?” Henry shrugged. “Okay. I’ll go ask the captain if he’s willing to risk taking this big boat into such shallow water.” Until now, Caleb had no desire to see it either. As usual, Pearl had turned him upside down and changed everything about him. No wonder poor Henry was so
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confused. He knew the captain would oblige too. When the mayor was asleep, Caleb was unofficially in charge. The boat picked up anchor, sped over the river and slowed as it entered Crab Creek. Fingers of marshy land, filled with scrubby bushes and red-winged blackbirds, reached into the water. The river breeze disappeared as the pungent smell of hot swamp mud pressed around them. The sound of a distant barking dog carried over the water. Homes appeared here and there among the trees and mud flats. No, these weren’t homes, Caleb realized. They were shacks. The outdoor fire pits and ramshackle outhouses told him the standard of living here lagged several years behind that of Oyster Island. Children wearing clothes just short of rags played in one yard while a man hauled in a rusty crab trap at another. Guilt needled Caleb’s arms along with all the mosquitoes. These people worked for him. Why was it that he’d never bothered to even see where they lived? Why had it taken the beautiful face of a young woman to finally open his eyes to the world around him? He tried to picture how it would be to live here. The gardens looked fruitful and he knew the water was filled with fish and crabs. Chores probably occupied most of everyone’s time since there was no plumbing or electricity. The worst part, though, had to be the housing—hot and stagnant in the summer, damp and cold in the winter. “It’s pretty primitive, isn’t it?” Henry asked. “Thank goodness we don’t have to live like this.” Caleb didn’t reply. He was too busy scouring both sides of the water for any sign of Pearl. The creek seemed to meander forever. Did these people really row their boats all the way from here to the plant every morning in all sorts of weather? He’d sure have a hard time arriving for the six a.m. shift if he had to come so far. No one complained about it either. Everyone just worked hard. Maybe he really wasn’t king of Oyster Island. Without all his workers, he’d have nothing. He should do something special once in a while to thank them, he realized—a big picnic or holiday party. Caleb rubbed his temples, his head aching from so much thinking. That woman made him think too much, more than he ever had in his life. “Let’s head back now,” Henry said, “before we run out of gas or get eaten alive by mosquitoes.” “Just a bit farther,” Caleb insisted. He had to see her place. Around the bend, he spotted a shack with turquoise paint peeling away to reveal large gray patches of wood. When he saw the Johnson name above the door, his heart
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sank into the water. That had to be it. He could see gaps in the walls and holes in the patched roof from here. The thought of his Pearl living there nearly brought tears to his eyes. Her mother had been a housekeeper in Annapolis, he recalled her telling him. She’d worn nice clothes. What a comedown this must have been for her, yet she never complained. When shuffling footsteps sounded on the stairs leading from the cabin below deck, Caleb clenched his hands together. “You’re up. How do you feel, Mayor Carter?” Henry asked. Caleb had hoped they’d get back to Oyster Island before the mayor woke up. It wouldn’t be easy to explain this little detour. Again, he found himself having to lie. The sensation of lead sinkers in his stomach was beginning to feel familiar. The mayor rubbed his gray head. “I feel lousy. Why did you let me drink so much?” Because he was easier to be around when he was unconscious, Caleb thought. Mayor Carter looked around and grimaced with disgust. “And what the hell are we doing here? This is the colored section, for God’s sake.” “We blew off course,” Henry said affably. “It we get stuck, they’ll sink my yacht or try to steal it,” Mayor Carter complained. “They can’t be trusted, you know.” Caleb didn’t answer. The pompous man’s bigoted remarks had always grated on his nerves but he’d never come so close to wanting to punch him as he had today. Thank goodness fall was coming so he could get a break from these fishing trips. He forgot all about the mayor when he saw her. She stood in front of a drooping clothesline with a basket of laundry beside her. He noticed everything, from the way the sun shone on her arms, to the peaceful curve of her lips. Despite her surroundings, she looked content. The blue scarf on her head made her look wild and innocent. Better yet, her hair hung loose and long. He had half a mind to knock the men overboard and whisk her off to the deep seas. Henry steered the mayor toward the bow. “How about a nice big glass of water?” Pearl looked up as the boat came closer. Relieved to have this moment without the other men watching him, Caleb stood with his hands glued to the railing, staring at her. He didn’t dare smile or move a muscle. It was enough just to look at her. Her arm moved as if she were about to wave but she must have thought better of it. The sight of the fancy yacht probably reminded her of the roles they had to play. Caleb had taken a risk coming here with the mayor. As usual, he had no common sense when it came to her. It was wrong to come, he thought. He had his world and she had hers. Mixing the two as he’d done today had stirred up things better left alone. Now that he saw how she lived, he had a harder time accepting the way things were. 61
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He jumped when he realized his brother was by his side. “You startled me, Henry. How long have you been standing there?” Henry leaned on the railing, looking at Pearl too. “Long enough. Caleb, I’m thinking something right now and I sure hope I’m wrong.” Caleb pushed himself away from the railing feeling the sun burn the scratches on the back of his neck. “You are wrong. Let’s get the hell out of here.” He said the last sentence louder than he intended but he had to convince his brother he had no interest in the girl hanging clothes. As he headed toward the captain, he wrung his hands again. First Leroy last night and now this. Two close calls in two days were too damn many. Besides that, a bit of marsh grass sped past them in the water, telling him the tide was going out and quickly. The mayor would not be pleased if his expensive boat got stranded in swamp mud at low tide, possibly ruining the motor. Caleb vowed to be much more careful from now on.
***** Wearing her best dress—the blue one she’d traveled here in—Pearl walked out of the Baptist church on Sunday with her family, using her hat to fan herself from the heat. Children laughed as they ran across the grassy area behind the church while women spread quilts on the ground and opened baskets of food. Being away from the oyster plant for two days felt strange. She’d spent most of yesterday helping Wilma and Sadie with chores while Leroy chopped extra wood for the upcoming winter. The last thing she’d expected to see was Caleb perched on a big yacht. She couldn’t hear everything the men said but she’d heard enough. Let’s get the hell out of here. Even now, Caleb’s cold words left a sour feeling in her stomach. Hadn’t Leroy warned her about getting hurt? Afterward, the Johnsons and their neighbors had chattered about the biggest boat that had ever ventured into Crab Creek. No one could figure out why the mayor had come. But Pearl knew. Caleb must have wanted to see where she lived. She didn’t know whether to feel flattered or angry. He had no business prying into that part of her life. When they were together, the color of their skin and the differences in their lives didn’t seem to matter. When he touched her, they were one. Yesterday they couldn’t have looked more different—him standing on that fancy boat like a rich king while she pinned rags to a clothesline. She hoped he’d satisfied his curiosity. He probably wanted nothing more to do with her. Never again would he make her body feel as if the earth had split in half.
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This was her life, she reminded herself as she watched Wilma and Sadie fuss over the picnic basket. It could be worse. She had family, a home and food to eat. Leroy even cared about her. True to his word, he hadn’t said anything about her secret. She helped the women unpack the food and sat on the edge of the faded quilt while Charlie eased himself into a chair. When she saw Jimmy head toward them, she wished she felt the same magical spark Caleb gave her instead of nothing. “Hello, Jimmy.” When Sadie batted her lashes at him, Wilma elbowed her. “There’s a spot beside Pearl,” her aunt said. Jimmy smiled at her after he sat down. “You look real pretty today, Pearl. Did you enjoy the service?” Pearl struggled to pull her thoughts away from Caleb and the yacht. The man beside her had a kind, handsome face. More importantly, he could give her a future. It was time she stopped listening to her crazy body—making obscene demands like harder and faster—and started thinking with her head. Jimmy asked her where she was from and she found talking about her life in Annapolis easier than the life she had now. Wilma served lemonade, cornbread, hardboiled eggs and soft crabs. She smiled at Pearl periodically with approval while Sadie glared into the distance. “You must be used to the fine things in life,” he told Pearl. “Pardon me? Oh yes. I do miss it sometimes.” She chewed her food slowly, noticing the textures more than the taste. If only she could forget about Caleb she’d probably be happy at this moment. Jimmy seemed to lean closer with every word she said and barely took his kind eyes off her. She looked up to the blue sky, wondering if her mother was watching her with approval. When they’d finished eating, Jimmy stood and held out his hand. “Would you care to walk with me? Maybe we can catch a breeze off the water.” Pearl stood slowly, her heart accelerating with worry as she wondered what to expect. Sitting with family was one thing. Being alone with him was another. What if he tried to kiss her? Even though she’d braced herself for the rejection Caleb was sure to give her on Monday, she wasn’t ready to be close to another man so soon. In fact, she might never get over Caleb. The church was near the inlet of Crab Creek so there was a nice breeze. It reminded her of Caleb’s scent. The distraction made her trip over a rock sticking out of the grass. That was a mistake because it gave Jimmy an excuse to touch her. He took her arm and then held her hand. She didn’t let go, knowing it was the smart thing to do. Jimmy’s hand was strong and calloused from hard work but it wasn’t Caleb’s. He led her to a bench and they sat down together. If only she and Caleb could walk around in public holding hands and sitting in beautiful spots like this. It just wasn’t fair.
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She let out a sigh of frustration as she gazed out at the water, holding her hand over her eyes to shade them. Part of her looked for the yacht, wondering if Caleb was on it watching her. “Something wrong?” Jimmy asked. “No. I’m sorry. I’m just tired, I guess.” He squeezed her hand. “You work too hard. You need someone to give you an easier life.” Pearl didn’t know what to reply to that so she didn’t say anything. Thankfully, Molly Bingham came over and handed her a daisy. “I picked this for you,” she announced. “Thank you, sweetheart,” Pearl said, smiling. Jimmy took it and tucked it into Pearl’s hair behind her ear, reminding her of how Caleb had smoothed her hair there. Did everything on the world have to remind her of that man? Molly ran back to her mother, leaving them alone again. “She’s precious,” Jimmy said. “Do you like children? I do. I want to have lots of them.” Unless you get knocked up with his half-breed bastard child before you get the chance. Pearl looked down at her feet, recalling Leroy’s blunt words. She couldn’t have children with Caleb. Jimmy, on the other hand, could give her marriage, children and a respectable life. Still, the thought of never having Caleb’s child made her feel hollow. What use was all their passion if they couldn’t create something wonderful together? Jimmy bent to peer into her face. “Did I say something wrong?” “I love children.” She looked back at the churchyard. “We shouldn’t be gone too long. They’ll need help packing up.” “Pearl, I’d like to ask your aunt and uncle’s permission to come court you. Would that be all right with you?” “C-court me?” She lifted her face to the breeze, hoping it would clear the numbness. Surely she’d expected this. First came courting then came marriage. That was what she wanted, wasn’t it? “Yes, I suppose that would be fine,” she finally answered. Jimmy shifted on the bench. She could tell by the cautious expression on his face he didn’t feel very encouraged by her reaction. “How about Tuesday night?” he asked. “I could come over and sit with you a while.” Her family would be there so at least she wouldn’t have to worry about being alone with him. “I don’t know,” she replied. “I work during the evenings.” 64
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“Can’t you get that one night off?” he asked. “I’ll try.” And she would. Caleb would probably reject her and end her cleaning job anyway. She stood, facing the river breeze. After her old life had tragically ended in Annapolis, she was finally on the right track for a brand new one. She wasn’t about to let an arrogant white man stand in her way.
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Chapter Seven When Pearl came to Caleb’s office after her shift, he could tell by the stony set of her lips something was wrong. It probably had something to do with his insane yachting expedition. It had taken him hours to calm the mayor down after the trip. Luckily the captain managed to get the yacht out of Crab Creek before the tide got too low and it didn’t get damaged. At least some good had come of it. He’d placed an order at the Sapphire Crab early this morning for a catered lunch for his workers. They’d delivered a feast of ham, potatoes, corn, biscuits and even some oysters to the lunchroom. His workers smiled all afternoon and productivity went up. “The windows in the small shucking room need cleaning,” he told Pearl. “Fill a couple of buckets with hot, soapy water. I’ll be down later.” She arched a brow. “Really?” Her voice was as cold as her expression and her hair looked as if she’d pinned it more tightly than usual. He needed to see it long and loose again. “Absolutely.” We haven’t been together for two days and I’m already hard. He smiled and cocked his head, undressing her with his eyes to give her the message but her face still looked blank. After she left, Caleb drummed his fingers on the desk. Something was very wrong and he hoped he could fix it because he planned to continue his exploration of her tempting body tonight. The floor men took forever to leave. At last, the plant grew quiet. His cock was so brick hard he could hardly walk down the stairs. When he went inside their special room with his basket of food and locked the door, she was finishing up the window cleaning. Despite their interruption the other night, he still preferred this room. They had made it theirs. He pointed to the buckets of water on the floor. “I figured we should have some cleaning supplies around to prove that’s what you’re really doing. You know, in case we get interrupted again.” She wiped her hands on a rag. “If the windows meet with your approval, Mr. Rockfield, I’ll be going.” Like hell she would. Maybe she was having her monthly courses and was too embarrassed to tell him. The thought of not being able to explore her body tonight deflated his cock but he still wanted to spend time with her. He jerked the window shades down. “Let’s have some oysters.” “No, thank you,” she replied. “I’m not hungry.”
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He took one of the rectangular wooden stalls the shuckers stood in and turned it sideways on the floor. Then he sat at one end, stretching his legs out before him. “Sit with me and tell me what’s wrong,” he said gently. She sat on the other end of it and folded her arms. “Stop pretending you want to be with me tonight. This job is over, isn’t it?” He rested one hand on the bench and the other on his thigh. “Not by a long shot. Whatever gave you that idea?” “Why, Caleb? Why did you have to come see where I live?” He’d never heard so much emotion in her voice. The anger and sadness in it wrapped around his chest, squeezing it. He shrugged. “I was curious and I couldn’t go two whole days without catching a glimpse of you.” “Well, now you’ve seen it,” she replied, flinging out her hand. “You couldn’t wait to get the hell out of there either, could you? You sounded so disgusted.” So she’d heard him. He took her cold hand and rubbed it to warm it up. “Oh, Pearl. Why do you always assume the worst? What you heard was disgust at myself, not you. I took a huge risk bringing the mayor’s yacht in such low water.” She looked away. “How could you not feel disgusted standing up there on that fancy yacht?” He closed his eyes against the regret welling up from his chest. He’d been so focused on how adorable she’d looked standing at the clothesline he hadn’t given any thought to how he must have looked to her—white, imperious and condescending. “All right, maybe I did feel disgusted. Because it broke my heart, honey, to think of you freezing in that shack this winter.” He found himself almost yelling and lowered his voice. “You deserve so much better.” Pearl was a proud woman and too proud, he knew, to accept the building supplies he wanted to give her family. He’d have to do it anonymously. “I realized all my employees deserve better. If it hadn’t been for you, I never would have bothered to see everyone’s living conditions. I don’t feel very good about that.” “It seems to me you do the best you can,” she said quietly. “Everyone appreciated the lunch today.” But when he planted a sensuous kiss on the palm of her hand, she pulled it away. “You shouldn’t have come to Crab Creek.” Her bottom lip trembled as she spoke. “How can you possibly still want me after seeing me there?” The wooden stall creaked as he grabbed her and pulled her against him. Then he anchored both hands on the sides of her face and looked into her stormy eyes. “Let me make something very clear, Pearl Wilson. I will never stop wanting you.” “Caleb…”
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The breathy surrender in her voice pressed the accelerator in his heart. Enough of this damn talking. Still gripping her face, he claimed her mouth, proving how much he wanted her with the pressure of his lips and every sweep of his tongue. Each time he let up, they both gasped for air before returning to the frantic union of their mouths. When they stopped, he put his arm around her. “What was it like being on that yacht?” she asked. “Boring,” he replied. “I only go because the mayor expects it of me. Most of the time, I imagined us alone on that boat.” Her stormy eyes warmed with a flicker of desire. “You did?” He swayed from side to side on his seat, mimicking the rocking of a boat. Her supple torso moved with his. “I pictured you naked and spread open for me on that boat,” he told her. “I imagined my tongue inside you while the waves rock us back and forth like this. Each one would drive me a little deeper.” Her breasts rose with a sudden intake of breath. “Good heavens, Caleb.” “Maybe I should borrow the mayor’s yacht so we can really do it,” he said. “It would be dangerous as hell but I could probably just about pull it off.” When she leaned her head on his shoulder and giggled, he held her closer. “Well, at least I finally got you to laugh.” “So I still have this job?” she asked. He frowned and turned her chin up with his thumb so he could see her face. “Of course you do. You’re not going to quit on me, are you?” She pulled her face away and shifted on her seat but this time she looked more uncomfortable than guilty. What now? His heart raced so much around her he was sure it would wear itself out. “I almost hoped you’d fire me to make my life simpler. Caleb, can I have tomorrow night off?” she asked. “Sure, but may I ask why? I thought you enjoyed our time together.” “I do.” She sighed and studied her hands. “I saw Jimmy at church Sunday.” Jimmy. His competition. “And?” “I agreed to let him court me. He’s coming over Tuesday evening. My family will be there, of course.” The news nearly knocked him off the bench. “Damn,” he said softly. She rubbed the hairs on his arm, sending threads of heat through his groin. “Caleb, we talked about this. Jimmy can give me the life I need.” And he couldn’t. “I know. I just hoped we had more time.” Her fingers trembled as they touched his face. “We do have time. It’s not as if I’m getting married tomorrow.” But the time they did have left was even more precious now. 68
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“Let’s not waste another moment talking,” he said. He’d planned to seduce her slowly tonight but that was before he’d found out another man would court her, kiss her, touch her… Her yellow cotton dress buttoned from collar to hem. He tugged at the top buttons, so impatient he almost pulled them off. She stopped him and unbuttoned them herself. When the top of her dress was open, he guided her arms out of the short sleeves. Next, he unfastened her bra and tossed it on the floor. With his mouth, he claimed every bit of her exposed, coffee-smooth skin—her silky cheekbones, her tender neck and the warm hollow between her breasts where her earthy-sweet scent was strongest. He sucked her nipples into his mouth, one at a time, wishing he had the time and patience to be gentler but he didn’t. He felt like a starving man at a soup kitchen. It was as if at any moment the door would burst open and someone would steal Pearl away from him forever. Mine! Mine! he wanted to shout with each kiss. Jimmy would never know she’d belonged to another man first but he wanted to make sure she knew it tonight. “Take off your shoes and stockings and unbutton the rest of your dress,” he ordered. “I need to see all of you.” She did as he asked, leaving her naked except for the dress attached by the belt at her waist. Although she kept her legs clasped together, he eyed the triangle of black hair, damp from her excitement. The scent of her cream made the blood sing in his ears. “Thank you for not wearing panties again,” he said. He groaned when her hand clasped the hard ridge of his trousers. Inside, his organ strained against the fabric and ached for release. “I need to see you too,” she said. “Pearl,” he warned. “I bet you have a naughty word for it too. Tell me.” “It’s called a cock,” he replied. Before he could stop her, she’d unfastened the buttons of his trousers and undershorts and reached for his naked shaft. The sight of her dark, delicate fingers around his hot, pink flesh sent a ball of heat to his head, making it feel as if it might explode. A shudder went through him when she rubbed a finger through the milky cream oozing from his tip. “Honey,” he said, gasping, “if you keep doing that, I don’t think I can keep myself from fucking you.” She ignored him, dragging her finger down the length of him. His balls clenched with the need for release.
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“I mean it, Pearl.” His throat rumbled with a growl of warning. “If you want to stay a virgin, get your hand off my cock. Now!” To prove it, he pulled a condom out of his pocket. He carried it around now, just in case. “What’s that?” She frowned as she took it from him and studied it. “This is a condom. It fits over the penis during intercourse and prevents children.” He hoped the dry, scientific explanation would ease the pressure in his balls but it didn’t. “If you ever decide to—” She finally let go of him and dropped the paper packet back into his hand as if it had caught on fire. “No, we don’t need it. Please put it away. All of it.” He pocketed the condom, stuffed his stiff member back inside his trousers and buttoned them while he still could. Standing up, he laid out the same blanket he’d used last time, cursing at the clumsiness of his fingers as he rushed. He lifted her and laid her on it. “Scoot your sweet ass near the edge so I can access it,” he said. He didn’t have patience to spend time fondling her legs either. He just spread them wide. Judging by the wetness coating her folds, she didn’t need it. The sweet opening beckoned him to stretch it with his erection. The overwhelming urge to do just that nearly brought tears to his eyes as he stared at her. Her writhing limbs told him she probably wouldn’t argue until afterward. If only he could be the first—the only—cock inside her. As he inserted one finger inside her drenched folds, watching the ruffled lips swallow his white skin, his other hand tugged at the buttons of his trousers. White heat raced down his arms, urging him to rip them open and unleash his shaft again. He knew if he did that, it would be buried in her within seconds. Caleb took a deep breath that did little to still the shuddering need racking his body as he pulled his finger out of her depths. Next, he grasped Pearl’s inner thighs to anchor them and lowered his face to her cunt. She moaned when he kissed the tender area on each side of it. Then he placed several kisses on her molten center, growing dizzy from the scent of her cream. “Your pussy tastes even sweeter than I imagined,” he said. “Mmm,” she replied. “I thought pussies were cats and that’s a cunt. I’ll never learn your language.” He glanced up at the mountains of her breasts and the dark nipples sticking up like points. “Fondle your breasts while I do this,” he told her. “I want your nipples to stay rock hard—as hard as my cock.” “Yes. Yes…” Seeing her fingers flicking and pulling on the swollen points drove hot forks of need into his balls. He turned his attention back to her pussy, scraping his moustache 70
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and mouth across the puckered lips. When he pressed his upper lip against her slippery little pearl, she groaned. Tearing himself away from her, he reached for a clean rag and handed it to her. “I hate to ask you to do this, honey, but I’m afraid someone will hear you. Put this in your mouth, especially when you come.” She lifted her head and took the fabric. “Do you think I’ll…climax again?” “You will,” he promised. He gripped her thighs again and gazed at her. “This is by far the most beautiful oyster this plant has ever seen.” And I wish it were mine forever, he thought as he traced his finger down each lip. When he lowered his head this time, his tongue darted out and dragged across her cunt as if it were a fish hook. Then he wiggled the tip inside. She responded by jerking her hips and putting the rag to her mouth to muffle her cries of pleasure. Encouraged, he pointed his tongue and traced it lightly over her clitoris. Her hips moved so much he could barely keep his place. He pushed harder with his hands to keep her pinned to the table. I bet Jimmy can’t make you feel this good. But how long before the other man did this to her? A week? A month? Losing his grip on patience, he opened his mouth and ground it against her pussy as if to swallow her and claim her whole. He sucked her tender lips inside his, melding their flesh into one. “Caleb!” The fabric may have muffled the loudness of her cry but not the raw urgency of it. With her rich juices coating his lips and moustache, he looked up. “No one will ever make you feel this way.” As if he stated it, it would be so. “Yes.” She spoke between breaths that made her nipples plunge up and down like buoys in rough tide. “Please don’t stop. I think I’m going to have another climax.” Anxious to feel her sweet-tasting flesh quiver and shake under his mouth, he worked his tongue with purpose—licking, stabbing and plunging. Her thighs trembled beneath his hands. He felt drunk from her passion. What a rare find she was. If only he could keep her. All he could do was give her pleasure in this moment. As he sensed her time grow near, he plunged his finger inside her while he sucked her clitoris. Despite the pressure of his hands on her thighs, the slick bud gyrated out of range several times. Determined to hold her still, he pressed his lips around it and nipped the edges with his teeth.
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A muffled scream and her pelvis both hit him at once. Realizing his hands had lost their grip on her thighs, he staggered backward to the opposite table, almost falling down. Breathing hard, Pearl sat up and put her hand to her mouth. “Did I injure you again?” After recovering, he pulled her off the table and into his arms. “I think I’ll survive.” With her bare feet on the floor, she wrapped her arms around his waist, bringing her pounding chest close to his. “Goodness, Caleb. The way you make me feel. I wish you could have a climax too.” He kissed the side of her neck. “Trust me, I will later.” “But I want to see you have one,” she added. “We’ll have to do something about that next time.” He helped her button the dress she still wore. After they cleaned up, using one of the buckets of water, Caleb sat with her on the makeshift bench. “I can’t imagine doing this with Jimmy,” she said. Good. Her delicate eyebrows lifted with worry. “Do you think he’ll expect it of me?” “Not until after you’re married.” He clasped her hand in a possessive grip. “Until then, you’re mine.” He hoped Henry could find him a good poker game tomorrow night because he’d need something to keep his mind off the fact she’d be spending time with another man. “Was it like this with your wife?” Caleb frowned, not expecting such a question. “No, Pearl. My marriage was not a passionate one.” She smiled. “Good.” “I have a feeling yours will be, though.” Why couldn’t he be Jimmy? Why had their lives taken this course? Who decided what color skin they would have when they were born? Why the hell did it have to be different? For once, the king of Oyster Island had no answers. “Are you hungry for an oyster now?” he asked. “We can’t skip our ritual. It might be bad luck.” She smiled. “Yes, I’d love one.” They exchanged the morsels of meat with their tongues as they had before. For some reason, the simple act made him feel more bonded to her than the passion did. Afterward, they ate cold crab with salad. “Oh, I almost forgot something.” Caleb pulled out an envelope from his trouser pocket and handed it to her.
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“What’s this?” she asked as she took it and opened it. “Your pay.” “But I picked up my paycheck at the window Friday.” “That’s your pay for this job, not shucking.” “So much money,” she whispered. He cocked his head as he watched her count through the bills. She tucked it into her dress pocket and looked down at her hands. “What’s the matter?” he asked. “Did I miscount the hours?” “No. I just…I just feel like a…a whore.” “Honey, no,” he said, grabbing her hand. “Don’t say that. Don’t ever say that. Our time together is special.” Her green eyes looked heavy and sad. “You know I only earned a fraction of this doing cleaning. The rest—” Caleb sighed. “You could always refuse it if it makes you feel better but I wish you’d keep it.” The front of her dress crackled as she smoothed over the pocket containing the envelope. “No, I’ll take it. Wilma will be expecting it.” “I want you to promise me you’ll keep part of it to buy something special for yourself.” She nodded. “I thought our time together was special too but Leroy said some things the other night.” Caleb’s hands tingled with worry. “Does he know?” He’d meant to ask earlier but her anger about the yacht had distracted him. Thank goodness Leroy was one of his employees and not a threat like the mayor. She nodded again. “He won’t say anything but he’s worried about me.” “I can imagine what he must think,” he said. “I told him it wasn’t like that between us but he reminded me what a disaster it would be if I had your child.” Caleb’s jaw tightened. “And I gave you my word that wouldn’t happen.” It frightened him, though, to realize he’d come closer than ever to breaking his word this evening. Maybe it was for the best she would be courted by another man and well on her way to marriage. This madness couldn’t last without possibly destroying them both. He stood up and kissed her hand. “Until Wednesday?” She looked into his eyes. “Until Wednesday.” Hopefully she’d still want him after her evening with Jimmy.
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It was still dark when the household woke up the next morning for work. Pearl shivered from the cool, damp air in the cottage and dressed quickly. Thankfully, they’d all been asleep when she and Leroy had gotten home last night. The shorter days had their advantages, she thought. At breakfast, Wilma slapped down chipped, mismatched bowls of runny oatmeal on the table while two crickets in the cottage competed for a solo. Then she laid down a platter of griddle cakes for them to share. Hungrier than she expected, Pearl took several big bites of her cake. Climaxes must use a lot of energy. Memories of the time she and Caleb had spent together last evening wrapped around her, keeping her warm. Sitting on the makeshift bench with him had reminded her of sitting with Jimmy but it was so much better. Now she felt silly for ever doubting his affection for her. She’d even dreamed of him last night, waking up with her cunt aching and the sheet tangled around her sweaty calves. Her hairpins made her scalp prickle this morning, making her want to pull them all out and wear her hair loose. And she couldn’t stop thinking about that strange packet Caleb had showed her. A condom, he’d called it. At the time, the picture of the harlot printed on the paper cover had disgusted her. Now she couldn’t help wondering how his penis would look with it on. How it would feel rubbing against her most sensitive flesh… What was happening to her? When Wilma sat down, Pearl slid the envelope containing her pay across the table to her. “Those are my extra earnings,” she explained. As promised to Caleb, she’d kept out a dollar for herself but she wouldn’t hesitate to spend it on the family if the need arose. Her aunt snatched up the envelope and counted the bills with rough, workchapped fingers. Pearl realized this was the first time she’d ever seen the woman really smile. “We can buy us a nice ham with this and have a right smart meal with all the trimmings. Sadie needs new shoes for the winter too.” Pearl smiled. “I’m glad I could help.” “You done real good, child,” Wilma added. “You know, I had my doubts when you first come here but you’re obviously good for something.” Sadie’s grin looked just as out of place as her mother’s. “What did you do with Mr. Rockfield to earn all that money, Pearl?” The blood in Pearl’s head threatened to drain to her feet. Leroy already knew her secret. At this rate, it wouldn’t be much of a secret for long. “I cleaned.” Leroy stared down at his oatmeal bowl, not saying a word.
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Sadie’s smile grew smug. “Then how come you kept me awake all night yelling Caleb, Oh, yes, Caleb…?” Shame scalded Pearl’s cheeks as her spoon dropped and clattered to the floor. Based on the dreams she had, she suspected Sadie was telling the truth. Why did the spiteful girl have to tell the entire family? Thankfully Charlie was still in his room. She chose her words carefully. “I must have dreamt of Mr. Rockfield because he’s a handsome man but there’s nothing going on between us.” Her aunt waved her hand. “Don’t lie, child. White men don’t pay colored girls this much money to clean.” Leroy cleared his throat as he stood and put on his cap. “I need to tend to the boat. It’s going to be a slow trip this morning ‘cause of the wind.” To Pearl’s surprise, her aunt looked more shrewd than angry. “It won’t last. He’ll tire of you. Jimmy, on the other hand, can take care of you for life.” Pearl looked down at her bowl. “I know.” Wilma leaned forward and pointed a long finger in her face. “So don’t you mess that up, you hear? And don’t bring no high-yaller, half-breed child into the world, expecting me to raise it.” Sadie leaned back in her chair as she leered at Pearl. “I’m going to tell.” Wilma grabbed her daughter’s wrist and squeezed. “You do and I’ll thrash your hide in front of the whole plant. We gettin’ us some money now. The last thing we want is to stir up trouble.” Sadie hung her head in submission and pushed away her food. Although Pearl was fairly sure she’d obey her mother, there were no guarantees. The food Pearl had eaten formed a cold ball in her stomach. How could Caleb tell her their time together was so special while her family made it sound so cheap? They both couldn’t be right. She hoped marriage would bring calmness to her life. This constant confusion, conflict and shame would soon tear her to pieces.
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Chapter Eight The day dragged so much for Caleb it was as if he were neck-deep in marsh mud. Looking forward to his time with Pearl after work had become more of a habit than he realized. On his way to the unloading dock, Caleb tried not to look at Pearl working next to Jimmy but couldn’t help it. Tonight she’d be with him. They looked perfect together. They were close to the same age—and the same color, of course. Eventually they would be a married couple, working side by side. The thought of it brought acid to Caleb’s throat. For once, he didn’t feel like joking with the men on the dock. The sun was too bright and his head ached. Everything he looked at bored him—the boats bobbing in the water, the mountains of discarded oyster shells and the wire oyster baskets. He’d done this for so many years there was nothing left to explore. No sweet, dark flesh for him to explore tonight, either. Everything he looked at reminded him of her, including the bench where she’d been sitting the day he’d met her. He couldn’t even look at an oyster without remembering the rich texture of her mouth as they exchanged the delicacies with their tongues. When Henry maneuvered Easy Pickings to the pier, Caleb helped him tie the lines. His brother looked toward the stern of the large work boat. “Whoa, that boat’s coming too fast. Slow down, buddy!” The boat just missed Henry’s stern and hit the pier instead, breaking the edge of the boards with a sickening crack. Caleb rushed forward to inspect the damage. “You fool!” he yelled. “What were you thinking?” “I’m awfully sorry,” the well-dressed other man said. “It got away from me. I’ll pay for any repairs.” Henry chuckled as he climbed onto the pier and adjusted his overalls. “At least your boat doesn’t look too much worse for wear.” Two workers went to the buy-boat, one to unload the oysters into tubs and another to tally them. “Didn’t you see the speed limit sign?” Caleb demanded of the stranger. “I’m trying to run a business here and can’t have my property destroyed this way.” Henry grabbed his arm and pulled him out of earshot of the other man. “Calm down. That fellow’s from out of town and didn’t mean any harm.”
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“He should have known better,” Caleb insisted as he yanked off his hat and jammed it back on his head. Now he was forced to decide whether to simply repair it or get the mayor’s approval for the expansion. “Normally you’d laugh at something like this,” Henry pointed out. “Tell me what’s really wrong with you. It’s not just the dock, is it?” Caleb rubbed his tight jaw. “I’m just having a bad day.” A seagull perched on a nearby piling laughed as if to mock him. Any day he couldn’t spend with Pearl would be a bad day, he realized. When had he become addicted to her? His brother folded his arms and looked at him with shrewd eyes. “You’re in love, aren’t you?” Dread weighted Caleb’s stomach as a fish jumped in the water nearby. “Don’t be ridiculous.” “Just be careful who you fall in love with or you’ll have a lot more trouble than a broken pier.” Caleb knew his brother recalled the day he’d stared at Pearl in Crab Creek. Although he was curious how much he suspected, he didn’t dare ask. “Will you handle this?” Caleb asked as he pointed to the stranger’s boat. “I have something else to attend to.” Henry nodded. “Are you planning to expand or repair it?” Caleb glared at the damage. “It’s not too extensive. Let’s just repair it for now.” Henry patted him on the back. “Sure thing. Now get that frowning mug of yours off the dock before you scare away all the fish.” Caleb smiled in spite of his bad day and headed toward the hardware store to arrange having paint and wood sent to the Johnson place. Hopefully he’d be able to think of a good excuse for it by the time he got there. He might not be able to be with Pearl much longer but she’d never stop being part of his life.
***** Pearl felt strange riding home with the family after her shift. It was still light out. She longed to be at the plant instead, spending time with Caleb. Tonight belonged to Jimmy. Luckily he hadn’t said much to her today except how much he looked forward to their date tonight. She stared at the eddies of water stirred up by Leroy’s oar, thinking she’d rather sit in this boat all night than go through with her date. When they reached the cottage and got out of the boat, Charlie showed them the stack of boards and cans of paint near the front door. 77
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“What in heaven’s name is all this?” Wilma asked. The older man shrugged. “A fellow from the hardware store delivered it a couple of hours ago.” Wilma bent down to inspect it more closely. “What a pretty shade of blue. Well, who’s it from?” “I asked him,” Charlie said. “Wouldn’t say.” “I bet I know where it came from,” Sadie said. “I’m surprised the paint’s not white.” Aunt Wilma flicked her behind the ear. “And I told you to hush with that talk. Come on inside. We got to get ready for Jimmy.” Despite a hard day of work, Wilma acted as animated as a bird in springtime as she straightened the cottage and heated up some cabbage-and-pork soup. Pearl pushed up the sleeves of her sweater to the elbows and helped the best she could. At least it got her mind off men. She wished the weather was even colder so she and Jimmy would be forced to stay indoors under the eyes of the family. Outside, anything could happen. Half an hour later, Wilma ran to the window. “He’s here! He’s tying up his boat. Now you all act proper or you’ll hear about it later.” After exchanging greetings, they sat down to eat. Pearl struggled to eat her soup but her appetite was gone. She wanted oysters with Caleb, not this. Conversation flowed around her and she was glad there were enough people there to keep it going. Uncle Charlie cleared his throat and looked at Jimmy. “How many gallons did you shuck today?” “Thirty, sir.” Aunt Wilma clasped her hands together. “I declare, Jimmy. You must earn so much money you burn it like firewood.” He smiled and bowed his head. “Well, it’s not quite like that but I’m planning to build me a nice house close to the inlet. It’ll have a big yard for children to play in.” Wilma closed her eyes and shuddered as if imagining it. The inlet, Pearl knew, had refreshing breezes in the summer and very few mosquitoes. She felt like shuddering herself but not with happiness. This was exactly what she used to want before Caleb had turned her life upside down. “We thank you kindly for those extra building supplies,” Wilma said. Jimmy’s spoon paused in midair. “Building supplies?” “The new paint and wood outside,” Wilma explained. “We sure do need to fix this place up.” “I wish I’d thought of it,” Jimmy said, “but it didn’t come from me.” Wilma flung her hand toward him. “Isn’t he something? Won’t even take credit for his generosity.” “I can help you fix up the place, though, after work every evening.” He smiled at her. “It’ll give me a chance to spend more time with Pearl.”
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Every evening? Her throat constricted as she swallowed her soup. She had no idea how she was going to get through tonight as it was. Sadie toyed with her spoon. “I don’t think you’ll see much of Pearl. She’s usually real busy at night.” Pearl’s cheeks prickled with fear as she looked at her cousin to see what she’d say next. “Right,” Jimmy replied. “You have that extra job.” “She really enjoys her job too.” Sadie paused to giggle into her hand. “She likes it so much she dreams about it at night.” Pearl gripped the edge of her soup bowl, one second away from flinging it in her cousin’s face as her heart lodged in her throat. Wilma slapped the table. “Sadie, you go start cuttin’ that apple pie for dessert.” “But, Mama, I’m not finished my soup yet.” “Right now, Sadie.” When her cousin left the table, Pearl’s heart returned to its normal spot and she smiled apologetically to Jimmy. She probably had nothing to worry about. Now that he’d seen how crazy her family was he wouldn’t want anything more to do with her. After they ate dessert, Wilma shooed the two of them out to the porch where they could be alone. Pearl wished there were separate chairs instead of the bench to sit on. “You have quite a family,” Jimmy said after they sat down. “They’re pretty frightening, aren’t they?” He reached for her hand. “I don’t frighten easily.” “So tell me about the house you plan to build.” She hoped hearing some details about her perfect future would make her want it. As she’d predicted, Jimmy talked about his plans with lots of enthusiasm. His eyes glittered and his hands waved as he talked. She caught a few words here and there but her mind was at the plant. What was Caleb doing now? Did he miss her as much as she missed him? “I asked what color you think I should paint the nursery,” Jimmy said. “The nursery?” she repeated. “Pink or blue would limit it to girls or boys. Do you like yellow?” he asked her. Even though the air was cool, it was still thick with marsh smell. For some reason, she couldn’t seem to catch her breath. “Yellow is pretty,” she said. “So are you.” When he bent close to kiss her, Pearl fought the urge to bolt off the bench and run toward the creek. This evening was turning out to be ten times more difficult than she thought it would. Would it ever end?
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She would never get a marriage proposal, she knew, if she didn’t at least kiss the man. Clenching her fists at the sides of her thighs, she kept her face still. Jimmy’s lips were dry and gentle, and they made her feel absolutely nothing. She longed to feel the scrape of Caleb’s moustache and the demands of his lips and tongue—hot, hard and wet—instead. Jimmy kissed her again, more firmly this time. Although he closed his eyes, she kept hers open, staring toward the creek and seeing a vision of Caleb on the yacht. Despite trying as hard as she could to feel nothing, emotion pricked the backs of her eyes. The breath of Jimmy’s sigh brushed her face as he pulled back. “Is something the matter, Pearl? I get the feeling you don’t enjoy kissing me.” She put her fingers to her lips, wishing she could wipe away the kisses she hadn’t wanted. “I’m just not used to such things.” She pointed to the windows looking over the porch. “Besides, my family might be watching.” He nodded, looking relieved. “You’re shy. That’s one of the things I like about you. I guess I moved too fast.” “It’s getting late,” she hinted. He slapped a mosquito on his arm. “I’d better be getting home. I’ll be back tomorrow to help with fixing up your place.” “I’ll be at work,” she reminded him. “I know but maybe I’ll still be here when you get home.” She hoped not. Seeing him after being with Caleb? It was unthinkable. Pearl stood up. “You really don’t need to trouble yourself. You should be working on your own house instead.” “Our house,” he corrected. “Or at least it could be.” The clammy air pressed around her as crickets sang. Why couldn’t she breathe? “Good night, Jimmy.” Looking uncertain, he stood, squeezed her hand and left. When she went inside the cottage, she found Wilma sitting at the kitchen table with a hundred questions in her eyes. “How did it go? Did he kiss you?” Pearl decided to ignore the last question. “He’s going to help with the repairs so he’ll probably come by tomorrow before I get home.” Wilma beamed with approval. “Yes, indeed. He’ll make a fine husband. Did he say anything about marriage, child?” “Not really. I’m very tired, Aunt Wilma. Good night.” Pearl practically ran toward her pallet. The only thing that kept her from flinging herself on it and crying was looking forward to seeing Caleb tomorrow night. 80
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***** When Pearl’s shift ended the next night, she went upstairs to Caleb’s office. He was out while the floor men worked but she knew he’d be back. In the meantime, she followed the instructions on the note he left to clean his window blinds. Working beside Jimmy all day had been awkward after the uncomfortable evening they’d spent together. Every now and then he’d smiled at her and she’d smiled back because she felt she had to. Her facial muscles ached from it. When the building grew quiet except for one set of footsteps on the stairs, Pearl’s heart sped up. What did he plan to do to her tonight? Would she have the strength to say no? She’d have to. Another man was courting her. Just spending time with Caleb was all she needed. He closed the office door and locked it, which he’d never done before. “We’re not going downstairs?” she asked. “Not tonight.” A breath of relief washed through her. He was going to make this easy for her but why was his face so sober and impossible to read? “Did you have a bad day?” she asked. He nodded. “Some fool from the city crashed his boat into my unloading dock yesterday. Having a piece of my daddy’s company damaged took something out of me too. I can’t even expand it without the mayor’s approval now.” The powerful plant owner had a vulnerable little boy inside him, Pearl realized as she touched his cheek. “Close the blinds, will you?” She did as he asked while he sat in his desk chair mere inches from her. “Straighten them, please,” he said next as his gaze burned through her clothes. “I love to watch the way your sweet little ass moves under that flowered dress when you work.” He didn’t even have to touch her to make flames dance across her skin. His words were enough. While she fixed the blinds, he absent-mindedly ate a wedge of tomato from the salad plate on his desk. The vegetables on it were all askew, as if he’d picked it to pieces. She didn’t see any oysters either. “How was your date?” His voice sounded mechanical, as if he were asking about the weather. “It was…fine. Caleb, is something wrong?” “Come here.” He pulled her onto his lap and rested his hands on her shoulders. “I missed you. The past two days seemed to last forever.” She buried her face against his neck. “Oh, Caleb. I missed you too. I was so miserable last night.” “Did he kiss you?” 81
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“You shouldn’t ask me that,” she told him. “This is our time together.” He toyed with the coil of hair pinned behind her ear. “I’ve been torturing myself wondering what he did to you. Please tell me.” She looked away. “He did kiss me but I didn’t feel anything. I’d rather kiss you.” He grinned. “What’s stopping you?” Decency. One kiss couldn’t hurt, though, she decided. She’d missed Caleb so much. “Nothing,” she replied as she slid her hands behind the neck of the man who affected her like no other. She lowered her mouth to his. A whimper of pleasure escaped her when the familiar moustache brushed her upper lip. She inhaled his breezy scent and absorbed the warmth of skin through his shirt as she kissed him. “I take it you didn’t forget about me,” he said after she finished. Were his blue eyes more intense than ever or did the dim light from his desk lamp just make them look that way? She stroked his cheek while she shook her head. “I’ll never forget you. Caleb, I don’t know if I can go through with this with Jimmy. I was so miserable last night.” He gripped her hand. “It’s for the best. I can’t give you the life you need but it eases my mind to know you’ll be taken care of.” Sitting on his lap with his arms around her made her feel safe enough but she knew it was only an illusion, a stolen moment. “Speaking of which, thank you for those building supplies.” “What building supplies?” he asked. “I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about.” “Wood and paint. It arrived yesterday from the hardware store.” “I have no idea but I do know I don’t want to spend our precious time talking about hardware.” “Caleb, I’m afraid I can’t let you explore me tonight.” Nevertheless, the memory of his kisses between her legs made her belly full and hot. He placed her hand over his crotch. “That’s all right because this time you’re going to explore me.” Longing, quick and fierce, stabbed straight through her. She tried to move her hand away but he held it fast. “I can’t. You know I’m being courted by another man.” He dragged his other hand through his hair. “Please, Pearl. I brought you pleasure so many times. I need you to make me come.” The thought of making him explode inside the way she had intensified the heat between her legs. “I love this mouth,” he said, tracing her bottom lip with the pad of his finger. “It expresses everything you think and feel. I need to be inside it. Please don’t refuse me.”
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Tiny sparks shot from his light touch. She could never seem to resist when he asked her to do something. Always so polite, so endearing…so incredibly handsome. He gave her so much—she needed to give something back just this once, especially tonight since he looked so sad. “You know it would be wrong,” she said. “I know, but I looked forward to this so much all day,” he said, still holding her hand in place. “After tonight, no more messing around, I swear.” Moisture trickled into her step-in panties as she caressed the bulge. “But I thought you had to keep it contained so you can stay in control.” “I’ll be all right if you keep your clothes on,” he promised. She got off his lap and stood beside him, wishing she were strong enough to fight the passion pouring through her veins like molten fuel. She needed to see him climax so she wouldn’t wonder about it the rest of her life. “Tell me what to do,” she said. Caleb leaned back in his chair, smiling for the first time all evening. “Surprise me. You can start by unbuttoning my trousers.” Her heart fluttered as she bent over and reached for the fastenings of his trousers and undershorts. Within moments, his cock leaned toward her, erect and impressive. She explored him with her fingers, encircling the head and trailing them down the shaft. His scent was strongest here and she closed her eyes, breathing it in. She longed to be naked as her nipples swelled and pressed against the inside of her bra. Slick juices oozed from the tip of his erection again and she couldn’t resist running her fingers through it and smearing it over the rest of the rigid flesh. Caleb groaned and arched his back. “That feels so nice. Explore the rest of me too.” Curious, she tangled her fingers through the wiry, black hair at the base of his shaft. The sac of skin there was cooler and softer. She reached into his trousers to put the bundle in her hand. This is where children come from, she realized. When a vision of doing this with Jimmy flashed through her mind, she yanked her hand away. She would never be able to do it with him. This was her man. Every touch she gave him made him hers. Caleb’s blue stare reached her from half-closed eyes. “I guess you’re not used to a man’s anatomy. I hope you’re not too disgusted.” She clasped his shaft with both hands. “Of course not. You’re wonderful. Every inch of you.” How would that rigid tower of white-pink flesh feel gliding inside her? Her cunt ached at the thought. If only she could experience it with him someday. He reached up to stroke her hair. “I want you to put your mouth on me.” It seemed a strange thing to do but he’d put his lips on her most private places. Her mouth watered as she wondered how he’d taste.
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The usual doubt and guilt complained from the back of her mind but the blood rushing through her ears drowned it out. “What part would you like me to put my mouth on?” she asked. “All of it,” he whispered. “Lick me and suck me the way I did you.” “Will that make you come?” “I’m sure it will,” he replied, “but I have to warn you it’ll be a little different from yours. There will be a lot more fluid than what you see now and it’ll shoot out of me fast and hard.” The idea mystified and excited her at the same time. Her cunt ached so much she wished he’d put his finger inside her again. “Will it hurt me?” she asked. He chuckled while he stroked her ear. “Not unless I squirt you in the eye, honey. I think I’m entitled seeing as how you’ve already scratched me, pulled my hair and knocked me on the floor.” She laughed too. More of his juices seeped under her hand as she stroked him slowly. “I want to see my semen on your face,” he added. “You can even swallow it if you like. I’ll leave that up to you.” “If it’s part of you, I want to taste it,” she said. He got up and pointed to his chair. “Why don’t you sit there and I’ll stand here.” Caleb’s waist blocked her view of the desk light, leaving his straining cock in the shadows. His scent overwhelmed her as she gripped his shaft and pulled the round, swollen head to her open mouth. She started by licking the drop of pearly juice at the tip. When more came out to take its place, she licked again. “I’m probably doing this wrong,” she said. “No, it’s perfect, honey. Perfect.” To guide her, he pushed the head into her mouth. Instinctively, her lips closed around him just as her pussy lips had cradled his thrusting finger days ago. Groaning, he pushed more insistently. Her tongue explored the sculpture of him as he slid back and forth into her mouth. His ragged breaths filled the room and told her how much he needed this. She needed it too. This is my man, she thought as she made love to his shaft with her mouth. This is the only cock I ever want to touch my body. Ever. She hooked her fingers in the base of his suspenders and then gripped his hips, her frantic hands fisting the trouser fabric. With one stroke, she pulled him closer, not able to get enough of him. With the next, she forced him back because it was all too fast, hard and deep. It was as if he’d burrowed into her body, never to separate.
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His hands glided across her pinned hair—squeezing, tugging and expressing his pleasure. Their movements became an orchestrated dance that grew faster by the minute. Caleb became a beast under her hands and mouth, a beast she could no longer control. “I-I’m going to come.” His voice was raw, almost a growl. “Are you ready?” She nodded but nothing prepared her for the hot stream of liquid that shot into her mouth. It was endless. He yelled out as if he were in pain and gripped the back of her head so hard it almost hurt. Her heart pounded in tune to the insistent throbbing in her cunt as the warm fluid coated her tongue. She swallowed without thinking, her throat convulsing. Eventually the stream tapered off to creamy, round drops. “They look like pearls,” she said as she licked him clean. With the proof of his passion inside her, it was as if he’d claimed a bigger piece of her than ever. He put his member back in his trousers and when she stood up, she noticed his face was coated with sweat. He grabbed her shoulders and pressed her to the wall beside the window. “God, Pearl. No one has ever made me feel that good. We’re magic together.” “So you liked it?” she asked. He kissed her hard. “Liked it? I’m going to be thinking about this all night and all day tomorrow. Hell, I bet I’ll think about it when I’m on my deathbed.” She twisted one of the buttons on his shirt as the familiar sweet sadness that was Caleb engulfed her. “We shouldn’t have done this. I feel closer to you than ever.” “I know. The more we see each other the harder it’ll be to part.” He sighed and looked at the salad plate. “I should bring us something more substantial to eat.” Pearl shook her head, not wanting anything to erase the taste of him in her mouth. “Jimmy might be there tonight when I get home. How can I face him after this?” Caleb gripped her hand and scowled. “Why would he be there?” Pearl shrugged. “He insists on helping with the home repairs.” “Damn,” he said softly. “Wilma and Sadie suspect about us too.” Caleb turned from her and slapped the wall. “What? Does your entire family know now?” “I dreamed about you the other night,” she admitted. “Sadie must have heard me call your name. She dislikes me enough to cause trouble but Wilma is keeping her in line.” His head drooped as he stared into space. “Good grief. We’re making a real mess of things, aren’t we?”
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She nodded. “I hate the guilt and the lying. Jimmy is a nice person. He doesn’t deserve this.” He turned to her and kissed her forehead. “It’ll be over soon enough. Pearl, we can stop seeing each other right now if it’ll make it easier. It tears me up to see you worried and upset.” Again, his considerateness touched her more deeply than any physical caress could. “I don’t want to stop seeing you yet,” she admitted as she reached for his hand, “but we can’t do this anymore. I mean it.” He looked down. “I’m sorry. I was being selfish again. Tomorrow we’ll just spend time together. How does that sound?” “Wonderful.” “What we have is about more than passion. I want to make the most of every moment we’ve got left however I can. Just being with you is all I need.” She put her arms around the man who had all of her heart and held onto him as tightly as she could. “Me too.”
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Chapter Nine Pearl rubbed her bruised lips on the boat ride home, hoping no one would notice them. She’d been so caught up in the passion she hadn’t realized how hard Caleb had thrust into her mouth. She put her head in her hands. How could she have been so weak? She’d sworn beforehand she wouldn’t do anything improper with him. After disembarking from the boat, she cringed inside when she heard the sound of nails being hammered. Jimmy was working by lantern light. “I can’t believe he’s still here,” she whispered to Leroy. “It’s nice of him to do all that work,” Leroy replied. “Hopefully he won’t figure out what you been doin’ all night.” The words hit her in the face like cold water. While Leroy hastily tied the line and went to greet Jimmy, she hovered near the boat, wishing she could hide in it all night. She couldn’t face Jimmy now! She’d just had another man’s penis in her mouth. Kissing was completely out of the question. Pearl gripped the tree the boat was tied to and leaned her head against it. How could she be so unbelievably indecent? The things she’d done with Caleb in the beginning had been bad enough. Now she was involved with two men. She could almost feel her mother’s disapproval in the raw bite of the evening air. “Come on, Pearl,” Leroy called out. “Leave the boat be.” She approached the men, making sure to stay out of the circle of lantern light. The mounds of sawdust on the ground and smell of wet paint attested to hours of hard work. “Jimmy, what a surprise to see you here so late.” She hoped he didn’t notice how much her voice shook. He looked at the hammer in his hand. “Lost track of time, I guess, and I wanted to see you.” “I’m too exhausted to be good company, I’m afraid.” “You do look all done in, child,” Wilma said from the porch. When Pearl’s eyes adjusted to the dim light, she realized Sadie was sitting next to her. The whole family was up as if this were the middle of the day. “Did a bee sting your lips, Pearl?” her cousin asked in her usual sour tone, “or did you clean something tonight with your tongue? And what happened to your hair? It looks like some seagulls made a nest in it.”
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Pearl’s stomach flipped over and back again as she fumbled to smooth her hair and secure her loose hairpins. Why hadn’t she remembered to do this before leaving the plant? She’d been so focused on Caleb’s delicious cock in her mouth she’d been oblivious to what his hands had done to her hair. The only thing that kept her from fainting was the cool air. Why had she let Caleb talk her into messing around with him tonight? At the moment, exploring his body and seeing him climax had been the most important thing in the world. She was paying for her weakness now. Luckily Jimmy and Leroy were engaged in a debate on where to nail a piece of trim board. She hoped with all her might Jimmy hadn’t heard Sadie. Wilma bolted upright and pulled her daughter by the arm. “Time for you to go to bed.” “But Mama!” “Shut your mouth and come along.” The two women disappeared into the house. “I’m going to get some water.” Pearl’s voice was so shaky she could barely talk. “Do you men want anything?” “No, we’re almost done,” Jimmy said. “Come back out in a few minutes, though, so we can say goodnight.” “Of course.” As she headed for the door, the two men joked about fishing as if they’d been friends for years. Inside, she heard something completely different—Sadie crying in tune to the thrash of a belt. Wilma must be punishing her for what she’d said outside. Pearl put her hand to her mouth and squeezed her eyes shut so hard they hurt. Although part of her wanted to run back outside, she needed to get involved. After all, Sadie’s whipping was partly her fault. She flung open the door of the bedroom she shared with her cousin. Wilma held a belt in midair. “You’ll mind your mama now, won’t you?” “Stop it!” Pearl cried. “She’s had enough.” Wilma looked down at her daughter crouching on the floor on her hands and knees and then at Pearl. “I’ve a mind to thrash you too,” the older woman said, “for coming here tonight lookin’ like a whore.” The remark struck her harder than the belt could have. After Wilma left and closed the door, Pearl sat on Sadie’s bed and crossed her arms. Sadie looked up at her with a tear-stained face. “I’m sorry.” “Why do you dislike me so much?” Pearl asked.
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Sadie stood and plopped down on the bed near Pearl. “Why do you think? You got men chasin’ you right and left because of that pretty face.” “It’s not as much fun as you might imagine,” Pearl said, thinking of the guilt and the sensation of being torn in two directions. Turning to the table they used as a dresser, she picked among the items piled on top to get the small, cracked mirror they shared and held it before Sadie’s face. “What do you see?” Sadie pushed the mirror away. “An ugly girl.” “And do you know why?” Pearl held the mirror up again. “Look at that scowl. Look at the hatred in those eyes.” “I got plenty of reasons to scowl,” Sadie said. “Aunt Wilma is too hard on you,” Pearl agreed, “but you bring a lot of it on yourself.” Beneath the sour exterior, Pearl felt this girl’s pain. She wanted to take it away and not just because it would make her life easier. At some point, these people had gone from strangers she just lived with to her real family. “Beauty is deeper than skin,” she told her cousin. “It comes from what kind of person you are on the inside. When you go to work tomorrow, I want you to be kind to everyone and smile all day long.” Sadie snorted at the idea. “I bet you’ll be surprised how differently people treat you. If I’m wrong, you can go on hating me. Okay?” Her cousin grinned. “Okay.” Pearl dipped a cup of cold water from the bucket near the stove while Charlie snored from his chair. After drinking some, she dipped a rag into it and pressed it to her lips. She was so tired she nearly staggered back out the front door to say goodnight to Jimmy. Would this day ever end? When they saw her, the men punched each other affectionately in the shoulders and said goodnight. Leroy went inside, leaving her alone with Jimmy and the singing crickets. “Thank you for helping out here,” she told him. “It’s really nice of you.” Jimmy shrugged. “It’s nothing. Did your aunt tell you? There’s going to be a fish fry here Friday night. We’ll work on the house and some of your neighbors will join us.” Disappointment pressed down on her shoulders. That would be one less night she’d get to spend with Caleb. It was just as well, she thought. Seeing two men at once was madness. She’d chosen the path of respectability and it was about time she devoted herself to it completely. Jimmy reached out and touched her arm. Please don’t kiss me!
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Instead, he bowed his head and shot her a bashful look. “There’s something I plan to ask you then.” Pearl took a step backward as if a bolt of lightning had hit her in the middle of the chest. He was going to propose. She hadn’t expected it to come so fast. “I see,” she replied. “Good night, Pearl.” He hugged her and kissed her cheek before heading toward his boat. As she listened to his oars thump against the sides of the boat and then disappear into the night, she stood in the yard with her hand pressed over her mouth. She had to say yes. In two days her life would completely change. In two days she had to say goodbye to Caleb forever.
***** The next evening, Caleb sent Pearl to the small shucking room and joined her there with his usual basket. How was he going to keep his hands off her tonight when everywhere he looked in this room reminded him of their passion together? He couldn’t even look at the oyster table without seeing her shapely legs spread like the halves of an oyster shell, exposing her sweet, slick folds. “Good evening, Pearl.” He hugged and released her. “Good evening?” She raised a brow. “That sounds awfully formal.” He flipped one of the wooden stalls over as a bench again and fed her an oyster with his hand this time, not his mouth. The taste and feel of the slick oyster combined with her kissable lips would be too arousing to risk. When they sat down to eat crab cake sandwiches, he held her hand. “See how well I’m behaving myself?” he pointed out. She smiled. “You certainly are. Thank you.” He was so busy willing his cock not to get hard he’d hardly noticed how large and haunted her eyes looked tonight. “Is everything all right?” he asked. “Do you want me to stop behaving myself?” “No, I’m just tired. There’s been a lot of banging and construction on the house.” Caleb’s jaw tightened. Sending those building materials had backfired since it had caused Jimmy to spend more time with her. At least his dock was repaired and back to normal. He rested their clasped hands on his knee. “Tonight we’re supposed to talk and I want to hear more about your life in Annapolis.” “All right.” She looked awkward at first but the more she talked the more she smiled, showing him the happy girl she must have been. Her words were so vivid he could almost see
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her walking through the markets of downtown Annapolis and chopping vegetables in the kitchen with her mother. “She meant a lot to you,” he said. Pearl traced one of the stripes of her dress with a finger. “I still miss her terribly but it doesn’t hurt quite so much.” He touched her face. “Time has a way of doing that.” “What about you?” she asked. “I want to know how you became king of Oyster Island.” “Are you sure you want to hear such a long, boring story?” And it would be hard to concentrate with her earthy scent and the silky texture of her hand occupying his mind. His fingers and mouth ached to peel away her dress and taste every inch of her. The more he tried to restrain himself, the more he wanted her. “Caleb? You look uncomfortable.” Unable to stop himself, he leaned over and kissed her. That was a mistake because one taste of her entrancing mouth shot straight to his groin and made the blood rush through his veins like high tide. His body ached he wanted her so much but he had to do what was best for her. He’d been too selfish, just taking what he wanted from her when he felt like it, and it had to stop. She wasn’t some oyster he could pluck from the sea and use. He forced himself to pull his head away. “I’m sorry. I had a moment of weakness.” Passion flickered in her eyes too as she took a deep breath. “We have to fight it and, yes, I want to hear your story.” Caleb nodded. “Most of the credit goes to my daddy. He started the business with a one-room building a fraction the size of the plant today. I think I was shucking oysters before I knew how to walk.” She laughed. “I can almost picture you.” He told her about the excitement of watching the plant expand and how scared he’d been the day his father had died. “I couldn’t believe this business was mine. I was so afraid I’d ruin it within a year.” “But you didn’t.” “My younger brother helps too, of course.” The admiration in her eyes warmed him more than any kiss could have. “We should have done this before.” He rubbed the soft skin on the back of her hand. “I’m not much on talking but I enjoy it with you.” His chest tightened with something he couldn’t explain when she leaned her head on his shoulder. “Me too.” He sighed. “Unfortunately, the Sapphire Crab is having their anniversary party tomorrow night. I wish I could get out of it but I can’t. They’re my biggest local customer.” 91
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“I can’t work tomorrow anyway.” Her lips twisted with dismay. “The family is having a fish fry. I can’t get out of that either.” “I guess we won’t see each other until Monday night then,” he said. It might as well be a million years away, Caleb thought. Why did their lives have to pull them in such different directions? Pearl was slipping out of his fingers faster all the time and he couldn’t seem to stop it. When she withdrew her hand and looked up at the ceiling with tears glistening in her eyes, fear stabbed straight to his gut. Something bigger was at stake here than waiting until Monday. “Pearl, what is it?” But he knew. He knew what she was about to say. If only he could stop it. “Caleb, I don’t know how to tell you this.” She twisted her hands in her lap. His jaw tightened. “Just say it.” “Jimmy is going to propose to me tomorrow and I plan to say yes.” When she looked at him, a tear dropped from each eye and rolled down her cheeks. “I’m sorry.” He grabbed her close, his arms convulsing around her. “Don’t be sorry, honey.” Tears stung the backs of his eyes too. Damn! He thought he’d be strong enough to accept this. Wasn’t he the king of Oyster Island, for God’s sake? And here he was about to cry like a little boy. When he pulled back, her lips trembled. “I’ll miss you so much, Caleb.” He couldn’t take any more of this. Jumping off the bench, he headed toward one of the oyster tables and hung his head as he gripped the edge of it. She’s mine! he wanted to scream to the world. The time he’d spent with her had been the most exciting moments of his life. How was he supposed to just hand her over to another man? He didn’t think he could do it even though it was best for her. Why couldn’t he be the one to make her a woman? To pluck her pearl? Soft footsteps sounded and he inhaled sharply when her soft arms went around his waist from behind. He clasped her forearms, never wanting to let go of this incredible woman who was as dignified, kind and hardworking as she was passionate. Henry was right. He was falling in love. He loved the way her body responded to his seductions and how her petite breasts and ass just filled his hands. But it was more than that, a lot more. Let her go. Don’t mess up her life any more than you already have. But something stronger than his conscience surged through him. He lifted her arms away and turned around to face her. “Go boating with me this Saturday.” “What?” She shook her head. “We can’t. I have chores.”
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“We have to say goodbye, Pearl.” He took her hands in his and squeezed them. “And I’m not ready to do it now. Not in this room at the end of the day when we’re both exhausted. My God, you just now told me the news. I’m still in shock.” Her voice was raspy with tears. “I understand, but—” “We have so much to talk about, such as how our lives will be after you marry.” He winced. Just saying the words punched him in the stomach all over again. “After all, we’re still going to be living on this small island,” he continued. “We’re bound to run into each other from time to time, especially if you and Jimmy continue working here.” When she blinked and staggered back a step, it was clear she hadn’t given much thought to these things. Neither had he. “Meet me on the unloading dock an hour before sunrise. I don’t relish sneaking around in the darkness but it can’t be helped.” “I-I don’t know,” she said. “Won’t being alone out on a boat tempt us?” Electricity surged through Caleb’s cock. Oh, he’d be tempted all right, especially in such a romantic setting. He’d never suggested such a foolish undertaking in his life. He was a business owner. Until now, he’d only taken calculated risks. She’d changed all that. “We’ll fight it,” he said, trying to convince himself as much as her. “Haven’t I always kept my word to you?” She nodded. His hand shook when he reached out to touch her chin. “Let us have that one day to say goodbye. What’s one day compared to the rest of our lives?” “I’ll try,” she said. “That’s all I can ask.” Whether she agreed to see him Saturday or not was irrelevant anyway. He’d already lost her.
***** On Friday evening, Pearl forced a smile on her face as she helped Wilma and Sadie bring platters of food to the temporary tables set up outside. It had been a hot, sunny day and the summery warmth still lingered, making the jersey fabric of her best blue dress stick to her skin. Fish breaded in cornmeal sizzled on a large grill someone had lent them, filling the air with the mouth-watering scent of seafood. She couldn’t stop picturing Caleb bent over the shucking table last night looking defeated and not terribly far from tears. If only they hadn’t developed such strong feelings for each other. He was at the restaurant tonight. They were living their separate lives as they always had.
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While laughing children ran past her, Leroy and Jimmy played ball with some other boys from the neighborhood. They’d been painting the cottage and still had spots of blue on their arms. If she’d never met Caleb, she’d probably be happy right now. Instead, her stomach ached and her heart hammered so fast she thought she might collapse in front of everyone. Tonight was the night—the night Jimmy would ask her to be his wife. To take her mind off it, she helped Sadie slice garden tomatoes at one of the tables. “Thank you for your help, cousin.” The girl smiled just as she had for the past two days at work. Pearl smiled back. “Your face must be tired.” Sadie sighed and set down her knife. “I hate to admit it but you were right about smiling. For some reason, it makes me feel…pretty.” “You are pretty when you smile,” Pearl replied. “Aunt Wilma has been in a better mood too.” Buck Jackson, one of the young men from the neighborhood came over and snitched a piece of tomato. Pearl suppressed a giggle as she watched Sadie’s frown change to a smile. “Can I sit with you, Sadie, when we eat?” he asked. She batted her lashes. “I suppose you can, Buck.” “He’s handsome,” Pearl said after he left. “Does this mean you’ll stop hating me now?” “I guess so,” Sadie replied. Then Pearl followed Sadie’s gaze across the yard to where a cluster of girls stood around Jimmy. “You’d better leave these tomatoes to me and go claim your man before someone else does.” Although Pearl didn’t feel jealous, uneasiness walked down her spine. If she wasn’t careful, her chance at a secure future could disappear right before her eyes. When she walked over, the other girls scattered. Jimmy took her by the hand and walked with her to the creek’s edge. The tide was high, hiding the smelly marsh mud. “Couldn’t be a better night for a party,” Jimmy said. “I like these gatherings, don’t you?” She nodded even though she’d rather be alone with Caleb tonight. He frowned and scratched his head. “Pearl, something’s been on my mind.” Her stomach dropped to her feet. Was he going to ask her now, before they even ate? Or was he about to tell her he’d changed his mind? “What is it?” she asked quickly.
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Jimmy gazed at a spot across the creek while children laughed in the background. “Well, sometimes I’m not sure how you feel about me.” Pearl opened her mouth. She hadn’t expected this last chance to dissuade him or encourage him. Pushing Caleb out of her mind, she looked back at the party. This was her family, her life and her future. She couldn’t have Caleb. There really wasn’t a choice. “My feelings confuse even me sometimes,” she said, “but I do know they’ll grow with time.” “That’s all I need to hear,” he replied. Wilma banged a metal spoon against a pan to announce it was time to eat. Jimmy took Pearl by the hand and led her to her family’s table where he sat beside her. The fish, corn and tomatoes were delicious but Pearl barely tasted any of it. When the meal was almost over, Jimmy stood up. “I have an announcement to make.” Pearl gripped the edge of the table, her head swimming with nausea. Not now, Jimmy. Not in front of everyone! She watched without breathing as he bent down on one knee and took her hand, which had gone numb. “Pearl Wilson, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?” Her jaws worked but she’d either lost her voice or forgotten how to talk. Wilma glared at her from across the table. “Well?” “Yes!” she yelled loud enough for everyone to hear. It was a good thing she was sitting or her legs would have given out. The sounds of clapping and whoops of joy surrounded her and echoed across the creek. Aunt Wilma raised both arms in the air. “Hallelujah!” Uncle Charlie beamed at them. “Congratulations, you two.” Even Sadie was smiling. “My older brother got grandma’s ring,” Jimmy admitted, “but I plan to buy you a real nice one.” It was done, Pearl thought. Now that it was, she almost felt relieved. No more indecision and feeling torn to shreds. She’d made the right choice. From now on, her life would be easy and good. So why did she feel so hollow inside? And why did she keep seeing Caleb’s face out on that yacht? The boat, she suddenly remembered. He wanted her to go boating with him early tomorrow morning. To say goodbye. She owed him that much, didn’t she? But what would all these people think of her if she snuck off with a white man after getting engaged? Engaged. She was engaged to marry Jimmy Clark. None of this could be real. She would wake up and see Caleb’s face…
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The next thing she remembered was lying on her back on the ground. A dozen concerned faces hovered over her. “She’s comin’ around. Give her some air,” Wilma grumbled. “Pearl, are you all right?” Jimmy asked. Pearl sat up, realizing she’d fainted. “I’m so embarrassed. It must be the heat.” “You sure gave us a scare,” Jimmy said. Wilma clapped. “She’s so happy to be gettin’ married it knocked her over like a feather.” Pearl sat at the table, feeling as weak as a kitten. After assuring Jimmy she would be fine without him, he went off to play more ball with Leroy and the other men. Wilma glared at her after he’d gone. “You ain’t with child, are you?” Blood rushed to Pearl’s cheeks. “Of course not.” Thank goodness she and Caleb hadn’t made love. That would have complicated her life beyond belief. She’d saved herself for marriage and could marry Jimmy with a clean conscience. “Now we got to make you a dress. We’ll have to find some flowers for the church.” Wilma ticked off her fingers one by one as she made wedding plans. “Sadie, who’s that lady who makes real good cakes?” At that moment, Jimmy came back and put a possessive hand on her shoulder as he stood behind her. “Am I missing the wedding plans?” Pearl held up her hands. Stop! Just make it all stop. “We don’t need a big, fancy wedding. It would cost too much.” When Wilma’s face sobered, Pearl realized she’s said the magic words. Jimmy sat beside her. “Whatever you want is all right with me, sweetheart.” Guilt hovered over her like a rain cloud. Jimmy was such a nice person. He deserved a bride who was excited to marry him. The way she would feel if she were about to marry Caleb. “Let’s have the ceremony in a week. Two at the most,” Pearl said. Jimmy raised his eyebrows. “That’s awfully fast but I’m not complaining.” Then he whispered in her ear, “I’m looking forward to the wedding night.” Something painful squeezed Pearl’s belly so hard she nearly fainted again. She’d forgotten about the wedding night. Jimmy would touch her body as Caleb had and he’d go further, making love to her. How could she bear having another man touch her? “We could have a small ceremony here a week from Saturday,” Wilma suggested. “That sounds just fine, Aunt Wilma,” Pearl said. Quick, set the date before I change my mind.
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***** After wrestling with sleep all night, Pearl awoke in darkness. It was Saturday morning, about an hour and a half before sunrise. In half an hour Caleb would be at Rockfield’s unloading dock waiting for her. Dare she show up? When she’d gone to sleep last night, exhausted from an evening that had drained every bit of emotion from her soul, she’d decided she wouldn’t. She planned to sleep late. So why was she wide awake and needing to see him more than life itself? We’ll just say goodbye, she told herself as she washed up and put on her yellow dress quietly so as not to wake Sadie. She couldn’t move on with her life until she said goodbye to the old one. The wrenching sadness filling her chest reminded her of the day she’d left Annapolis after her mother died. Why was her life filled with so many endings? She went into the other room and shook Leroy awake. “I need you to take me to Oyster Island,” she whispered. He yawned and pushed his pillow aside. “What? Why?” “I’ll explain later. Come on or I’ll take the boat myself.” “No you won’t. I-I’ll meet you outside in a few minutes.” Minutes later, he appeared holding a lantern, his plaid cap askew, and she all but dragged him to the tied boat. “You’re going to see him, aren’t you?” Pearl looked up at the sky that wouldn’t stay dark for long. There wasn’t enough time to invent excuses. “I have to say goodbye to him. We’re just going for a boat ride.” “You are engaged to marry my friend.” “I know that.” She reached for the tree, untying the knot herself. Leroy’s face looked cold and disgusted in the lantern light. “Jimmy’s a good man. He deserves better.” Pearl bit her lip. “I know.” “I can’t believe I’m doing this,” Leroy said as he grabbed the line from her hands and pushed the boat toward the water, “but I won’t have you goin’ off by yourself and getting drowned.” She got into the boat. “Thank you.” He started rowing. “When will you be back?” She blinked, wondering why she’d never thought to ask Caleb something so important. The shorter their goodbye, the better. Being alone with him would be too tempting to risk for very long. “I don’t know,” she finally answered, “but I’ll figure out how to get home myself.” 97
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“And just what am I supposed to tell the others?” So many questions and Pearl didn’t have any answers. She put her hands to her head and shook it. “I don’t know. Tell them I’m making secret wedding preparations.” Leroy snorted in disgust and rowed harder than he ever had before to fight the waves knocking the small rowboat around. Or maybe he just couldn’t wait to be rid of her. “Stormy weather’s coming,” he said. “You be careful on that boat.” When he pulled in to the dock behind Rockfield’s, she got out of the boat but didn’t see anyone. Had Caleb changed his mind? The thought sent disappointment and relief flooding through her. Within moments, a familiar figure emerged from the darkness. “You came.”
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Chapter Ten Pearl’s heart pounded in tune to the thumping of Leroy’s oars as he rowed away. In the dim light, she could barely make out the words Rockfield II on the stern of Caleb’s boat. It was a good thing he took her hand and helped her into his boat because she couldn’t seem to move by herself. I shouldn’t be here. The boat engine started, churning the water and vibrating the wooden seat she sat on near the stern. Caleb manned the wheel behind the windshield and they eased down the tributary, slowly and quietly like thieves in the night. Although they had so much to say to each other, neither spoke. All that seemed to matter was getting away from Oyster Island. As she squeezed her hands in her lap, she wondered how their final goodbye would be said. Would there be strength or tears? The dim green lights from Rockfield’s slipped farther away until she could no longer see them. When they reached the inlet to the Patuxent River, Caleb opened up the motor, kicking it from a purr to a roar as it ate up the waves. Pearl gripped the side of the boat, shivering from the cool spray kissing her fingers. It was too late to turn back now. Dawn arrived with a luminous gray glow that made Caleb’s face look as pale as an oyster shell. “Where are you taking me?” she finally asked. She was afraid the wind from their speed would blow her words away, but he lifted his chin in acknowledgment. “Away from everything and everybody,” he called out. “We can’t go too far,” she called back. “I told Leroy I’d only be gone for a few hours.” He didn’t answer. As they hit deeper water, waves thudded against the hull, reminding Pearl of riding a car over a bumpy road. “I hope you’re not prone to seasickness,” Caleb yelled. She shook her head. Something had her stomach in knots but it wasn’t the rough sea. It was Caleb. What if he’d planned all along to seduce her out here to convince her to change her mind about marrying Jimmy? She shouldn’t have come! “You look beautiful,” he said. “I’m glad the color of your dress is cheerful even if this occasion isn’t.”
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A gust of wind blew her hat off. Before she could catch it, it landed in the water, growing farther and farther behind the speeding boat. “Caleb, my hat,” she called out. “We have to retrieve it.” He looked behind him and shook his head. “The water has ruined it by now anyway. I’ll buy you another.” When sunlight finally streaked across the sky, Caleb cut the engine and dropped anchor. Pearl gasped as she stood and looked around her. They were so far out Oyster Island was just a speck of green. The rest was all water. They were a long way from their small shucking room. The only sounds here were those of water and wind. No oyster shells tossed to the floor. No family squabbling. Just isolation. “Is this your boat?” she asked to fill the void. He nodded as he hovered near the wheel, rubbing a spot off the windshield. “It’s not the mayor’s yacht but it’ll do.” Although she’d expected a man in his position to have something more elaborate, she was glad his choice was practical and unpretentious. She ran her hand along the smooth wooden edge of the high white side. Halfway down, the color changed to dark green. Examining it gave her an excuse not to look at Caleb’s pale eyes, which were more brilliant today than the dawn sky. Or to his warm scent, which drifted to her now and then in the fresh sea breeze. “Do you fish in it?” she asked. “Sure. That’s what workboats like this are made for. It’s called a deadrise.” She wrinkled her nose. “Dead?” Caleb laughed. “It’s called that because it has a V-shaped hull. In fact, they’re built upside down at first…” She nodded with enthusiastic interest. He stood beside her and winked as he held out his hands. “Do you really want to talk about my boat all day?” “It’s easier than discussing why we’re here.” She slid her hands into his, which were cool and damp from sea spray. “I shouldn’t be here and you know it.” He stepped closer. “You owe me a goodbye.” The light in his eyes penetrated straight to her soul. She thought of the day she’d met him and all the little things she’d first noticed about him—his waterman’s accent, sun-kissed chest and quiet magnetism. “You’re shaking,” he noted. “Are you cold?” She let go of his hands to clutch her shawl more tightly around her and shook her head. How had they become such strangers? If they were at Rockfield’s, they’d be sharing their ceremonial oysters and plying each other’s bodies with pleasure right now.
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So much had changed. She belonged to another man…almost. “We could hug and say farewell,” she said. “Is that what you came for?” He stepped closer. “I came for whatever you choose to give me, Pearl.” The boat swayed beneath their feet to a steady rhythm, loosening the grip she had on her common sense. Unable to help herself, she reached up and traced her fingers along his jaw. “You’re a very special man, Caleb Rockfield. I’ll never forget you.” He captured her hand and bent to kiss the tips of her fingers, sending a sweet shiver through her. “And I’ll remember our time together for the rest of my life.” “You don’t plan to marry?” She wasn’t sure why she asked. The thought had never occurred to her before. “I can’t now.” His usually warm, vibrant voice was as hard and lifeless as a discarded oyster shell. Emotions built inside Pearl with alarming pressure that threatened to spill the banks of her control. She could see by the tightness in his jaw Caleb was fighting it too. With no warning, her arms flew around his waist and she held him so tightly she cut off her own breath. “Oh, Caleb!” she cried out. “Why did you bring me out here? Why prolong our parting? It’s already painful enough.” And I already miss you so much I could die! Is that what you want to hear, Caleb? He gripped her shoulder hard as if fighting an inner battle. “We have to talk about how things are going to be from now on.” Feeling shaky from her outburst, she forced a slow, steadying breath into her lungs. She let go of him and stepped back. “Then let’s get it over with.” “We’ll have breakfast first.” He opened a storage bin in the middle-back part of the boat and brought out a basket of biscuits, peach preserves and ham. “Are you hungry?” “Not especially,” she replied, “but I’ll eat.” They sat at the stern with the basket of food between them. “I think it would be best if you don’t work at the plant after…after the wedding,” he began. She nodded. “It would be awkward between us. Can you suggest where I might find another job?” He waved away the notion. “I’m Jimmy’s boss, remember? I’ll make sure he’s so well compensated you won’t have to work.” “That’s kind of you, Caleb,” she said quietly. “I want to make sure you’re taken care of. It’s the only thing left I can do.” A piece of ham stuck in her throat as she struggled to swallow it. “What if we should happen to run into each other on the street?”
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Caleb looked down at the biscuit he spread preserves on as if considering it. “Then I’ll say good day, Mrs. Clark and you’ll say good day, Mr. Rockfield.” “It sounds so formal.” “It’s the way it has to be,” he said firmly. Her food formed a cold lump in her stomach. “I don’t think I could bear talking to you like a stranger. It would be easier if we don’t run into each other at all.” He gazed at the water, looking more serious than she’d ever seen him. “Then let’s hope it doesn’t happen too often.” When they finished eating, Caleb put the basket back in the storage bin and sat next to her again. The sun was high enough now to light the rippling water around them with hundreds of tiny jewels. “It’s beautiful here,” she said. “The rest of our lives seem so far away.” His voice was husky as he spoke. “I was thinking the same thing.” He took off his hat and laid it on the seat. She frowned when he reached behind her head and pulled out her hairpins, one by one. Her nipples tightened with each one he tucked into his shirt pocket. “Caleb, what are you doing?” “Something I’ve wanted to do for a long time.” Her breath caught when he released her hair and let it fall to her shoulders. Her scalp tingled with freedom. She grabbed at it. “Don’t. You shouldn’t see me this way.” “So soft,” he whispered as he rubbed his finger up and down a hank of it. “Just like your eyes and your mouth.” A hundred knots untied inside her stomach as his fingers tangled in her hair. He used the leverage to pull her face toward his. A moment later, his familiar mouth, sweet and hot, claimed hers. His moustache caressed her upper lip while his tongue recaptured the cavern of her mouth. Stop him, her inner voice told her as searing heat emanated from her core and consumed her entire body. Stop him before it’s too late. But it was already too late and had been ever since she’d set foot on this boat. Her hands slid around his neck, memorizing the texture of his skin and hair for the rest of her life. She ran her fingers across the crisp, short hairs above his ears up to the longer, glossy locks she’d touched so many times before. When the kiss finally stopped, she clung to him as if he were the only solid thing out in this constantly shifting sea. His gaze held hers, waiting for her to jump in those blue depths all the way. She bolted upright and faced the stern, making the boat sway under the sudden shift in weight. “Take me back. Right now.” The wooden seat creaked as Caleb got up slowly and stood behind her. She stared up at the sky and gasped when he molded his body behind hers as he had the day he’d
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given her the shucking lesson. Just as it had then, the hard ridge of his erect penis pressed into her, making her panties flood with need. A need no man could fill but him. Why did he fit her so completely in every way? His warm lips nuzzled her ear and then her neck as the wind tossed her loose hair around her face. “I mean it,” she said, sounding weaker now. “Take me back.” His tongue flicked her earlobe as he pinned an arm around her waist. “Is that what you really want, Pearl?” “What I want and what I should want are two different things,” she said. “Jimmy gets you for the rest of his life,” he said with a growl. “I’m just asking for this one day.” She turned in his arms. “What do you want from me, Caleb?” “Pleasure. The kind of pleasure we shared the nights you worked for me.” “You’re asking for the one thing I can’t give.” To her surprise, he didn’t answer. Instead, he went to the side of the boat to untie a rolled brown tarp, spread it out, and attach it to the windshield at one end and loops on the boat’s sides at the other. Caleb’s common sense must have finally returned. Relief and disappointment pulled her in half as she watched. Within minutes, they had a roof. “Is that to block the sun?” she asked. “Privacy.” She held out her hands. “Privacy? There’s no one else here.” “When you’re naked, you’re going to want some privacy.” Before she could answer, he pulled her under the tarp and clamped his mouth to her neck as they fell together in a sitting position. Her hands scratched at his while he unbuttoned the bodice of her dress. “I’ll stop any time you want me to.” He reached inside her bra and teased her nipple with his finger. “I mean it. Just say the word and we’ll head back immediately.” Streaks of fire shot from his touch and fueled the heat building in the rest of her body. She moaned aloud, glad for once that they didn’t have to worry about being heard. “Don’t.” She grabbed the sides of his face and kissed him hard. “Don’t leave the choice with me. Damn you, Caleb. You know I can’t control myself around you.” “Then why did you come?” She gasped, realizing he was right. All along, she’d trusted him to make the decisions and look out for her. Neither of them had been sensible when they’d come out in this boat and Caleb was obviously just as vulnerable to temptation as she was. It was about time she started thinking for herself. But not today… His scent, mixing with the salty air, wrapped around her under the tarp, carrying her hesitation away with the wind. With a will of their own, her hands clawed at his
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suspenders and pulled them over his arms. Next, she grabbed handfuls of soft, cotton shirt and helped him unbutton it. She needed to see him, all of him. Her fingers splayed across the hot skin of his chest, needing to feel every inch of him too. He tossed the shirt aside while helping her out of her dress and stockings. As the boat danced on the waves, their limbs tangled with each other’s clothes. If the urgency of their bodies hadn’t pushed them so hard, she would have laughed at the spectacle they made. Caleb grabbed a thick quilt she hadn’t noticed before and spread it beneath them. At last, they lay side by side in each other’s arms with nothing between them and their bare skin. Having his erect cock just inches from her body made her cunt wetter than the water around them. Pearl’s gaze traveled the length of him, from the sun-darkened patch of chest to the dark hairs that led to his waist and below. “I still won’t take your virginity if you don’t want me to,” he said huskily as he toyed with her hair. “Thank you, Caleb.” She caressed his shoulder and arm. “It’s enough just to see and feel all of you like this.” He glanced up at the wind-rippled roof of the tarp as he caressed her upturned hip. “Privacy does have its advantages. Do you remember my telling you what I fantasized about on the mayor’s yacht?” Heat flooded her cheeks as she remembered. “You spoke of putting your tongue inside me.” Instead of answering, he got onto all fours and eased her shoulder down until she lay flat on her back. “Spread your legs, honey,” he whispered. When she did as he asked, he encircled her ankles with his hands. “Oh, Pearl. You’re the wettest I’ve ever seen you.” He greeted her folds with the tip of his tongue. When he centered his attention on her clitoris, her hips raised off the quilt. With strong hands, he gripped them and pressed her down again. She howled when his mouth consumed her with no warning. Lips, moustache, tongue and teeth assaulted her so quickly she could barely tell the textures apart. The scent of her passion filled the area under the tarp and her thighs trembled with the hold this man had on her body and heart. Pearl blinked in confusion when he got on his knees and rubbed the length of his cock in front of her. She could see it much better here in daylight than she had that evening in his office. It was deep pink and looked swollen enough to explode. Her pussy throbbed between her legs, refusing to be ignored, as she sat up. “Why did you stop licking me?” she asked. “I hoped to climax again.”
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She cringed at the sound of her words. What would Jimmy and her family say if they could see her now? Especially her mother… They weren’t here, she told herself. Besides, whatever she and Caleb had started couldn’t be stopped now. “Oh, you will,” he promised, “but I need to come too. Lie down again.” Her heart thumped against her ribs as she wondered what he had in mind. To her surprise, he turned his back to her and planted a knee on each side of her, dangling his gorgeous penis over her face. When his fingers parted her thighs, she understood his plan. She spread her legs farther, closing her eyes and moaning when his mouth brushed across her folds again. Knowing what he wanted, she opened her eyes, reached up and grabbed his cock, bringing it to her parted lips. Even her mouth was drenched. Her entire body thirsted for this man. She extended her tongue to lick the wet pearl of fluid from the tip of his penis. “That’s it, Pearl,” he said. “Suck me like you did before.” With no warning, his tongue knifed into her. In reaction, her hand tightened around his member, pulling it into her mouth as fast as it would go. He thrust his tongue into her heat, in and out. She could feel his hot saliva mingle with her own juices. Urgent desire radiated from the magic he worked, making her tremble under his mouth and suck his cock as if she starved for it. Unable to help herself, she reached up and dug her nails into his powerful hips. The deeper he tongued her, the harder she scratched. Cool air hit her between the legs when he lifted his head. “I’m sorry,” she muttered as his wet shaft lingered near her lips. “I scratched you again.” “I don’t mind a bit,” he replied, “but let’s work together with the rhythm of the boat.” Pearl closed her eyes and let herself become one with Caleb and the boat. When the craft dipped into the trough of a wave, his tongue thrust deep and she pulled his hardness into her mouth. When the boat rose to a wave’s crest, his hot, sweet tongue pulled out of her and his wet cock slid from her mouth. It took them a few tries to get the hang of it but they did. Nothing else mattered but achieving this harmony, this oneness with each other and the world around them. Thrust, retreat, rock, rock… Caleb’s organ seemed to grow larger inside her mouth with each wave. She could say the same for his tongue. As the waves slapped the hull and the wind vibrated the tarp, their breathing grew more frantic and Caleb’s cock filled her mouth to the hilt. As Pearl sensed the point of explosion building inside her, she realized the rhythm had changed. Although the water still rocked the boat slowly, they thrust and sucked faster and faster. “Pearl, I—”
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While she waited for his next words, Caleb’s hot juices flooded her mouth. His scent and taste filled her existence but the urgency poised between her legs refused to be ignored. He drove a finger into her while nibbling her clitoris. She shattered on the second thrust, shouting his name over and over until she was hoarse. He planted tiny kisses on her thigh. “That was beautiful, honey. I’ll remember this for the rest of my life.” She kissed the tip of his erection too but couldn’t answer. After experiencing their most magical encounter yet, she wasn’t sure she could face the rest of her life. Pearl cast a worried glance at the horizon after they’d cleaned up and dressed. “We need to get back.” Caleb looked at the small speck of Oyster Island, wishing, for the first time in his life, it didn’t exist. All he needed was her on this boat. Forever. “Not quite yet,” he replied as he pulled up the anchor. “There’s somewhere special I want to take you first.” He’d thought of taking her directly there earlier but he hadn’t been able to resist living out his fantasy with her on the boat. Tasting her sweet pussy in tune to the rocking waves while his cock pushed into her wet, soft mouth had been the most exciting thing he’d ever experienced. All his past business deals paled in comparison to this. This time with Pearl had been amazing beyond words and he wasn’t ready for it to end quite yet. Luckily she didn’t argue as she stood next to him at the wheel. He could tell from the soft look in her green eyes she didn’t want to go back to their lives any more than he did. When he spotted the tiny spit of land ahead, excitement bubbled through his veins. It looked just as deserted as it always had. Pearl shaded her eyes from the sun. “Caleb, is that an island?” He nodded as he maneuvered the boat around to the side not facing Oyster Island. “It doesn’t really belong to anyone but I’ve sort of claimed it as it my own special spot.” “It’s beautiful. Do you come here a lot?” “Not as much as I’d like. I’m usually too busy working.” He cut the motor and jumped out of the boat. Leveraging the lines around a tree, he pulled the boat safely onto the sand and tied it securely. After helping Pearl out of the boat, he took her hand. He watched her eyes as she looked at the surroundings, seeing them himself as if for the first time. The side of the island facing Oyster Island was full of tall beach grass with plumes and marsh shrubs, blocking them from view. The side they stood on had a crescent of sandy beach. A few trees provided some shade. “What’s that building?” She pointed to the ramshackle structure tucked into the bushes. Its weather-grayed boards camouflaged perfectly with the surroundings. 106
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“It’s an old hunting shack but we’ll be more comfortable out here. I’ll get the quilt and sandwiches.” Her eyebrows lifted. “You brought lunch too?” “I always like to be prepared for anything when boating.” His heart raced as fast as an excited child’s as he laid out their picnic and invited her to sit on the quilt with him. He put it between two walnut trees, which gave them privacy as well as a mix of sun and shade. Having Pearl all to himself in his special place was too incredible for words. Being with her made him wonder why he’d come here so many times to be alone. Don’t let this day end. He’d made the roast beef and mustard sandwiches himself. Sharing his food with her felt as right as sharing his body and his island. If things were different, he could easily imagine spending his life with her too. When she finished eating, she sat with her arms around her folded knees and stared at the water. “Our time together today is making it harder to say goodbye, not easier, you know,” she said. He crouched behind her and moved her hair aside to kiss her ear. “I know but we’ll have these memories forever.” She turned and looked at him, her eyes luminous with unshed tears. “I don’t want memories. I want you! Oh, Caleb, I’ve always wanted you!” The urgency of her words sliced through him, shattering what was left of his selfcontrol. He’d lain next to every inch of her velvety, coffee-colored skin out on that boat. They’d even made each other climax. That was enough. Too much. The woman was engaged to another man, for God’s sake. Now that she’d seen his island, they should go back home but he couldn’t move. When he glared at his tied-up boat—their only link to this private fantasy world and the reality of their lives—he half wished it would float out to sea and sink. “I want you too, Pearl.” Each word he ground out echoed the intensity inside him. He wanted her, all right. In the one way he’d never had her. The way no man had had her. “I want your pearl,” he whispered in her ear. She frowned in confusion but he didn’t give her time to question him. Something primal and inconsiderate raged through him as he pulled her onto his lap and kissed her hard enough to swallow her entire face. But she didn’t seem to mind. Her hands clawed at his shirt as they had on the boat. This time their clothes came off much more quickly. “What if someone comes by?” she asked. “No one will,” he said with a growl.
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Whatever had a hold of him was beyond words now. His cock ached with a whitehot heat that threatened to burn him alive if he didn’t bury it inside her. Her earthy scent wrapped around him, removing all sense of time and direction. Lost, he claimed each nipple as his own, pulling the tender peaks into his mouth and sucking as if he could drink her essence into his body. Her fingers fluttered through his hair and stroked his cheeks and moustache. On the boat, he’d seen lust in her eyes. Here in the bright sunlight, he saw something else too. The soft look filled his chest with warmth and pressure, combating his desire. No, adding to it. Each breath shuddered through his body as he pushed her soft, petite body down to the quilt and admired how the sunlight burnished her skin to the color of rich wood. Her thick hair fanned out around her face, making him wish he’d yanked out those hairpins a long time ago. He spread her legs with his hands, almost losing his breath entirely as he gazed at the dark thatch of hair and the glistening, swollen folds beneath. The pinkness in her center begged for his touch. Sitting above her oyster was her precious pearl, slick and round. Mine, he thought. His arms trembled as he lowered himself between her thighs. The pounding of blood through his head drowned out the sound of small waves constantly lapping the shore, and the heat searing his groin made the sun on his back cold in comparison. His mouth grazed hers while his aching member brushed across her belly. Was she really about to let him do this? He could hardly believe it. “Pearl?” he asked close to her ear. “Do you remember what I told you out on the boat? You can stop me.” But she didn’t say a word, didn’t stop him. Her only reply was a near sob of need and a moment of hesitation before scratching one fingernail down the length of his back. The path of her nail stung, unleashing something inside him he could no longer hold back. He thrust his finger into her, making sure she was ready for his cock. The slick juices of her tight opening drenched his skin, making his balls contract. When he slid the length of his erection across her folds, the heated contact of their flesh clawed deeply into every muscle, demanding him to make her his once and for all. God, she felt like hot, melted butter. He was a mere breath away from entering her. Condoms, he remembered. He had to use one. Reaching for his discarded trousers beside him, he groped in the pocket. You gave her your word, a little voice reminded him. And although she hadn’t exactly said no, she hadn’t said yes either. She belonged to another…
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Caleb pushed the trousers away and buried his fingers into the sand as a battle even bigger than The Great War raged through his body. With the last ounce of his strength, he pushed off the ground with his hands and staggered backward from the force of it. With his cock so hard it threatened to break off with each step, he ran into the water. “Caleb? Caleb, where are you going?” He heard her voice but he kept running until the water came up to his waist. Tears of frustration stung his eyes as he sank to his knees and begged the waves to give back the control he’d just lost. Pearl had come to this island as a virgin, and—no matter how badly she wanted him—if she didn’t leave as one, he knew he’d never be able to forgive himself.
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Chapter Eleven Pearl crouched on the quilt and toyed with an oyster shell as she watched Caleb standing in the water. The shells were everywhere, reminding her of the oyster plant and their stolen times together. Between her legs, her pussy burned and ached, still reeling from the texture of his hard shaft brushing across it. It was clear from the way he slapped the water and dunked his head in it he was wrestling for control. She put her fingertips to her mouth, realizing how close they’d come to making love. During the heat of the moment, nothing had mattered except feeling his cock inside her. He’d reminded her to stop him with a word and what had she done? Scratched his back like some wanton whore. Thank goodness he’d been strong enough for both of them. So why wasn’t she happy she was still a virgin? Because she loved that man standing out there and that changed everything. Spending so much time alone with him today had made her feelings clearer. Most men would have fucked her already. Even though he must have been tempted out of his mind minutes ago, he was out there struggling to do right by her. Common sense told her to put her clothes back on, but the sun warming her skin and the leaves rustling on the trees made nudity feel too natural and good. This island had woven a spell around her, just as Caleb had. Her heart raced as she stood and walked toward him where he now stood in kneedeep water. The cool water swishing around her legs did nothing to douse the steady flame burning between them. She bathed in his pale, blue stare as she reached out and took his wet hand in hers. “I came so close to breaking my word,” he said. “Hell, I barely remembered I brought condoms.” “It’s all right. I wanted you too.” She blinked. “Did you say condoms? You must have known all along we’d end up like this.” The hint of a smile teased the corner of his mouth. “I didn’t plan it exactly but I know us too well.” Realizing how close she’d come to giving him her virginity and his taking it made her legs shaky, as if the smallest wave could knock her down. He clutched the sides of her arms and pulled her close to him. The cool wetness of his skin enticed her as much as the dry heat of it earlier. She could not imagine the rest of her life without being able to touch this man every single day.
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She glanced up. The sun was well past noon and was slipping in and out of some angry-looking clouds gathering on the horizon. They should have gone back hours ago. How much more time did they have together before they had to part forever? Minutes? Hours? Even a century wouldn’t be enough. “I couldn’t take you that way. We have to discuss it first.” Caleb rubbed his forehead. “I hate myself for even asking. Damn it. I have no right.” She traced a rivulet of water as it ran down his chest. “Ask me anyway.” He stroked her chin. “I want to be the one to take your pearl, honey, even though it’s wrong and selfish.” “I want that too,” she replied, “but I’m to marry. Can we really trust that condom? What if you get me with child?” The shame that would cause for her, her family and maybe even the entire island was too horrible to even think about. He should have taken her while she’d been willing because now she had second thoughts. He looked into her eyes with his serious ones. “The chance of the condom failing is very small but I won’t lie to you. There’s always a chance. When did you last have your monthly courses?” She looked away, remembering the day her mother had explained to her what it meant to be a woman. “I’m expecting it to return in a couple of days,” she said. “That makes it safe, doesn’t it?” “Most likely but there’s no absolute guarantee. I’ll try not to come inside you but I can’t guarantee that either.” She nodded in understanding of the risks. “Do you want to make love, Pearl?” he asked as he caressed her cheek. “Just this one time before we go on with our lives?” “Yes, Caleb.” She smoothed back his wet hair, wishing she were answering a marriage proposal from him instead. “Make love to me.” He smiled, a flash of white teeth beneath the dark moustache, as he picked her up and carried her to the quilt where he laid her on her back. When he kissed her and stroked her cunt with his fingers, the heat inside her returned as if it had never stopped. Everything they had ever done had led to this moment, she realized. His body loomed above hers—hard and dripping wet. She clasped his outstretched cock in her hand, spreading the juice from the tip downward and making it even harder. She watched, fascinated, as he pulled a condom packet from his trouser pocket, opened it and withdrew a lump of putty-colored rubber with a ring around it. He unrolled it down his erect staff, sheathing it like a second skin. Her nipples and clitoris ached as raw need closed around her body like a fist. When the tip of his penis finally pressed against her pussy, her nails dug into his shoulders. 111
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“So help me, if you run off again I’ll drag you back here myself,” she said. “I’m not going anywhere.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “It may hurt some so tell me if you want me to stop.” She nodded and spread her legs wider, wanting to give him everything she had while she could still give it. The head of Caleb’s cock slid across her juicy folds, flooding her with sweet, liquid sensation. Hurt? This couldn’t possibly hurt. When he entered her, his hardness lodged against something but he kept moving, ever so slowly. She hardly noticed the pinching pain among all the tiny kisses he rained on her face. The sensuous and familiar brush of his moustache on her skin made her instinctively open for him. She gasped when he was all the way inside, glad he stopped moving. The insides of her seemed stretched beyond belief. It was as if he’d filled her with his entire body. Nothing had ever felt so right. “Caleb!” she called out when he started to move again. Concern creased his brow. “Am I hurting you?” “No,” she whispered. “It-it’s wonderful.” “Just look at us,” he said. She lifted her head and followed his gaze to his pale shaft thrusting between her dark thighs. It was the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen and resembled the colors of sand around her—palest where dry and darkest at the water’s edge with bands of varied shades in between. He moved so slowly and gently, filling her and retreating like the restless waves beyond their feet. She lowered her head back to the quilt and locked her arms so tightly around him they ached. Drops of water from his hair fell on her face, the sensation heightening the waves of pleasure squeezing her cunt. As she moved more and more under his firm, steady strokes, a cool wind blew across their bodies. Both of them were wet with seawater and sweat. Gray sky and swift-moving dark clouds appeared beyond his flexing shoulders. “It’s going to storm,” she said. He tasted her neck. “I couldn’t care less right now.” She tracked the furrow down his spine with her fingernails, letting her hands finally rest on his hips. While they moved up and down, she met his strokes. The rhythm of the waves still coursed through her from spending so many hours on the boat. “Mine,” he said as he moved faster and harder. “You’ll always be mine.” Her tight channel ached with pleasure as it struggled to expand and accommodate his new rhythm. With every stroke, he changed her. While distant thunder grumbled, the breath caught in her throat or was it a sob?
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“Yes, Caleb. Yes…yes,” she said as an image of them standing at the altar flashed through her mind. Such pleasure and a feeling of rightness flowed through her she wondered why she’d fought this for so long. She realized they had been meant to do this from the moment they’d met. Oyster Island was far away but this was real. Finally the only man she wanted was in her arms where he belonged. No circumstance could possibly separate them now. He reached down to rub her button of pleasure while he continued to stroke. Each touch dug her nails into his back and brought her climax rushing to shore faster than the storm. When the moment came, it struck her with the force of a thunderbolt. She screamed as she closed her eyes and clung to her man. “My, that was loud,” he said in her ear. “It turns me on to know I made you scream like that.” When she opened her eyes again, Caleb was outside of her, rubbing his cock over her stomach. The condom was gone and the swollen head was so engorged it was the color of ripe berries. He threw back his head and groaned as his warm, wet seed showered across her belly. She rubbed the pearly fluid, so white against her dark skin. “Thank you for not doing this inside me.” He kissed her gently. “And thank you for giving yourself, Pearl. This meant so much to me.” Emotion welled in her chest but Caleb pulled her up before she could find the words to express it. “Hurry. We need to wash up before the storm hits. It’s dangerous to be in the water.” The entire day had been dangerous, she thought as she splashed water across her belly, erasing the evidence of their lovemaking. They ran back to the beach, folding up the quilt as the first raindrops fell. “Go in the shack,” he told her as he handed her the quilt and their clothes. “I need to secure the boat better.” Pearl now knew what she needed to say and it couldn’t wait. She reached for his hand and pulled him close to her body. “Caleb, I-I can’t marry Jimmy. I love you.” A streak of lightning accentuated the paleness of his eyes and a coldness she’d never seen there before. “I told you to get inside!” His voice was even colder than his eyes as he pushed her away. She stared at him in disbelief as he headed to the boat without another word. This couldn’t possibly be the same man who had just kissed her tenderly and made such sweet love to her. 113
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Unable to move, she watched waves rolling through a clump of cordgrass at the water’s edge. Each blade bent under the force, bending the one before it in turn just as her strength had bent beneath the force of passion. Pearl finally clutched the quilt and their clothes to her body as she ran into the shelter. She shivered from the rain and wind but Caleb’s reaction most of all. Moments ago, her world had been so right. Now everything was wrong—terribly wrong. He was just preoccupied by the storm, she told herself as she stood at the doorway and watched the wind tear at the leaves of the trees. He’d taken her pearl, just as he said he would. She’d given it to him, only to end up like one of the oyster shells at her feet— discarded and used. Turning from the doorway, she put her hands over her face. What have I done? Caleb pulled the boat farther on shore so the storm wouldn’t wash it out. Why had he done it? Why had he taken her pearl? It didn’t belong to him. He cursed as the wet rope slipped out of his hands more than once. When a jagged streak of lightning lit the sky, he realized standing in water wasn’t the smartest thing to do either. Getting struck by lightning was probably exactly what he deserved, though. After all, he’d just ruined Pearl’s future. He glared down at his limp cock, wishing he’d had better control over it. The rain made the scratches on his back sting, almost making him hard all over again. Discussing sexual intercourse with her beforehand instead of taking her in the heat of the moment didn’t justify his actions. Neither did her consent. He was older and should have known better. Why had he suggested this boat trip in the first place? In the back of his mind, he must have known all along he’d end up between her legs. What he hadn’t predicted was how tempting this beautiful island would be for them both. Nevertheless, he’d brought her here and he despised himself for it. Caleb rested his hands against the slick hull of the boat after he’d pulled it up far enough. Thunder crashed, rattling his ribs. He needed to get inside that shelter before he got barbecued by the next streak of lightning. It was time to face Pearl and try to repair the damage he’d done. The thought of what he was about to do lodged a block of ice in his stomach but it couldn’t be helped. There was no other way she would embrace her new life and have a secure future. It was the least he could do for her now. He had to make her hate him. After grabbing a lantern and the rest of the food from the boat, he ran to the shelter. When he got near the doorway, he cocked his head at the strange sound he heard. It was hard to decipher it against the roar of the storm but it soon became clear it was Pearl. Crying.
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Caleb gripped the rough boards of the shelter exterior and hung his head, ignoring the hard rain beating down on his scalp and naked body. Each muffled sound knifed his chest. He had brought her to tears and he couldn’t even scoop her into his arms and comfort her as he yearned to do. The storm showed no sign of letting up and the sea beyond was a seething cauldron of high waves. His stomach sank when he realized this wasn’t a passing summer thunderstorm. It was the kind of storm this area saw in spring and fall as the departing season clashed with the new one. This one could linger for hours, maybe even an entire day. He and Pearl would be stuck here a while, possibly all night. Under other circumstances, it would be a dream. They could while away the hours in each other’s arms, making love over and over again. Unfortunately the color of their skin brought its own set of circumstances and there was nothing he could do about it. It was going to be a very long night. Inside the shelter, Pearl sat on the quilt, which she’d laid on the sandy ground. The roof leaked in several places and the windows were nothing but open holes so she was glad she’d found a dry spot. She’d used the privacy while Caleb was outside to dress. Thank goodness her clothes had been dry because she didn’t think she could bear to be naked around him again. Now she concentrated on watching raindrops drip from the leaves of a vine that fringed the nearest window frame. How could he have been so cold to her when she’d opened her heart to him? And did it really take that long to secure the boat or was he just avoiding her? When she heard him approach the doorway, she quickly dried her eyes. Seeing his naked body, pale and wet, stole the breath from her. It reminded her too clearly of their recent lovemaking. She pointed to the corner. “Your clothes are over there.” “Thank you.” He set down a wet sack. “This is the rest of the food.” “I’m not hungry,” she replied. He pushed the flimsy door closed behind him. While he dressed, she stared at the rain pouring down from one of the window holes. “This storm is going to last a while,” he told her. “I’m afraid we’re going to be stuck here all night.” She clasped her hands in her lap and shook her head. “What my family must think.” Now that the passion in her body had dissipated, she realized how selfish she’d been. They would all worry about her, especially Leroy because he’d brought her to Caleb. And what would Jimmy think if he knew his intended bride had spread her legs for their white boss? 115
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Caleb faced her with his hands on his hips. Seeing his suspenders in place reminded her of pulling them off on the boat. That memory seemed so long ago now. She would tuck it away with all the others into a box and throw it overboard. “I should never have brought you here,” he said. A tiny spark emerged from the dead feeling inside her. “Then why did you go to all this trouble, Mr. Rockfield? Seems you could have fucked me in the shucking room and been done with me already.” His jaw twitched in the dimming light as he looked at the floor. “You’re upset because I don’t love you.” Hearing him state it so plainly hit her like a slap across the face. Outside, she’d assumed he was too preoccupied with the boat to answer her. Now she knew the truth. She toyed with the hemline of her yellow dress, which was damp from all the moisture surrounding them and looked as dim as the fading light. The very air she breathed felt too heavy, wet and cold for her chest to bear. The truth was she hadn’t even realized she’d loved him herself until recently. When she was deciding whether or not to let him make love to her, it hadn’t even occurred to her to ask. She’d felt his love, known it was there from the way he touched her and looked at her. Or at least she thought she had. “You don’t love me either, Pearl.” He crossed his arms and looked at her with those cold, pale eyes as he spoke. “What we had was a powerful physical attraction, nothing more.” Maybe he was right. After all, he was the first man who’d kissed her and the only one who’d had intercourse with her. What did she know about love? “So now that you’ve had me, you want nothing more to do with me.” Her voice sounded strange and dead to her. “Is that right?” Caleb turned quickly and planted his hand on the wall. She couldn’t see his face now but he inhaled sharply. “When a man is after a piece of pussy, he’ll tell a woman everything she wants to hear.” His voice sounded as dead as hers. “There never could have been anything between us and you know it.” “Of course I know that. I just thought you felt something for me,” she insisted. How could she have misjudged him so badly? Nothing in the world made sense to her anymore. “The only thing I felt for you was a hard cock.” He faced her again. “You need to forget all this happened. Forget me. Marry Jimmy and get your love from him.” Dampness crept into her bones, making her feel old. “I wish you’d made your feelings clearer before—” He rubbed a hand across his face. “I admit I was selfish and I am sorry I hurt you.”
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She reached to the side of the quilt and picked up an old oyster shell. Then she stood and waved it in his face. “I’m real glad to hear that, Mr. High and Mighty, because you made me feel like this. Your plant shucks all those oysters, taking the meat and throwing away the shells like garbage.” He ducked away from the jagged shell. “Pearl, calm yourself.” “I hate you, Caleb Rockfield! I wish I had never met you.” She had half a mind to steal his boat or swim to Oyster Island. Anything but spend the night with such a cold, ruthless man. “Get some sleep,” he said. “You’ll need to think up a good story to explain your absence when you go home in the morning.” How would she even get home? Now that he was done with her, he didn’t seem to care what happened to her. Maybe she’d have to swim back after all. Caleb sat against a wall on the opposite side of the shelter and closed his eyes. She couldn’t resist watching him for a moment. Seeing the face she’d caressed and the mouth she’d kissed made the backs of her eyes sting all over again. She curled up on the quilt with her back to him and tried to sleep but it was impossible. The rain lessened but still fell steadily against the roof. She should be sleeping in Caleb’s arms right now. This storm should be a blessing, giving them more time alone together, not a curse. She still had Jimmy. At least she hoped she did. She would marry him and the pain from losing Caleb would ease with time just as losing her mother had. Somehow, the thought wasn’t as comforting as she’d expected it to be. She may have squandered her body on a man who didn’t care for her but that didn’t mean she could jump into another man’s bed. Caleb’s lovemaking had been special regardless of what he thought of her. How could she open her body and heart to another man now? She couldn’t. It was as simple as that. Jimmy would soon be as lost to her as Caleb. What did the future hold for her now? Would Caleb fire her? Would Aunt Wilma kick her out? It was all gone now—her virginity, her financial security and most of all her heart. In one day, she’d lost everything. Oh, Caleb. How could I have been so wrong about you?
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Chapter Twelve Caleb shifted from his uncomfortable position against the wall of the shelter. He wasn’t sure how long he’d slept but it couldn’t have been more than an hour or two. The sky was completely dark now but the rain still droned endlessly. His bones ached from the dampness. This had to be the longest night of his life. To his amazement, his cock was semihard despite everything. He must have dreamed about Pearl. She had the sweetest, tightest pussy he’d ever felt and so much love. By arranging the quilt with perfect neatness and folding his clothes, she’d even made this shack feel like a home. The thought of never touching her again made his heart sit like a rock in his chest. His acting performance had impressed even him but seeing the hurt in her downturned lips had ripped something out of him that would never return. He’d been trying to repair the damage he’d caused her. Now he wondered if he’d done more harm than good. The sooner he finally extricated himself from her life the better. He leaned his head against the wall, desperate for sleep to numb the depressing thoughts churning in his mind. Instead, he heard sniffing. Pearl was crying again. Caleb stood up, unable to carry on this charade any longer. Even though he loathed himself for being weak and selfish, she had to know how he truly felt. He could barely see anything in the dim light from the lantern. When he lay on the quilt behind her, her earthy scent made him feel weaker than he already did. He slid a hand around her waist and nestled his hips against hers. That was a mistake because feeling the sweet curve of her ass hardened his cock the rest of the way. Her soft sigh encouraged him but all too soon she scrambled in his arms like a trapped animal and faced him. “Caleb, what are you doing over here? Get away from me!” When she slapped his face, he caught her wrist in her hand. “I love you, Pearl.” She scrambled again, kicking him in the shins. “Go to hell. Is it your life’s mission to torment me?” This time he sat up and held both of her wrists, forcing her to sit up too and look into his eyes. “I mean it. I do love you, honey.” Unshed tears glistened in her eyes. “I don’t believe a thing you say anymore.” “I was trying to protect you,” he insisted. “Protect me?” She glared at him. “Protect me from what?”
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“When you told me you weren’t going to marry Jimmy, I realized my selfish passion had ruined your life,” he explained. “I pushed you away so you’d change your mind.” “Well, I didn’t so let go of me. Jimmy is a good man and he deserves a lot better than a two-bit whore who doesn’t love him. I can’t live a lie for the rest of my life.” Caleb’s fingers sank deeper into the soft flesh of her wrists. His plan to drive her back to Jimmy had failed after all. He’d hurt her and put himself through agony for nothing. Why couldn’t he fix this? He expelled a heavy breath. “Damn it. I have ruined your life. Don’t throw away a good future because of me.” “Do you truly love me, Caleb?” she whispered. “I need to know the truth.” Seeing her put Jimmy’s well-being ahead of her own instead of using him made him love and admire her even more. “Pearl, I’ve never loved this way and never will again.” Still clutching her wrists, he leaned forward to kiss her with all the raw tenderness he felt inside. Her mouth didn’t move at first but she soon responded with the passion he was so used to now. “Then you haven’t ruined my life.” Her lips trembled as she spoke. “No matter how bleak my future might be now, I experienced love. That will get me through anything.” Caleb lost his breath for a moment. How could she be so brave despite everything that had happened? God, he’d taken everything from her and she didn’t even care because he loved her in return. “But damn you for hurting me.” She managed to wrench one hand out of his grip. “You made me feel used.” “I’m so sorry, honey.” He kissed the fingers of the hand he still gripped. “I was only trying to do what was best for you.” She pulled her other wrist from his grasp. “Well, stop it! I’m a grown woman and I’m capable of making my own decisions.” “But I seduced you,” he insisted. “We seduced each other,” she corrected. “I gave myself willingly and accept the consequences with no regrets.” He nodded. “I suppose I feel responsible for you because I’m older and I’m your boss.” She raised a brow. “And a man? A white man?” “I get the point. Forgive me?” “On one condition,” she said. “Anything,” he said quickly. “Let me seduce you in the few hours we have left. It’s my turn to control you.”
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He smiled for the first time since the storm had arrived as his balls fluttered with anticipation. “Yes, ma’am.” The first thing she did was push his shoulders down to the quilt so he lay on his back. “I’m liking this so far,” he said. Clothing rustled as she took off her dress and underwear. She unbuttoned his shirt and spread her soft hands across his chest, making a tight band of heat encircle his groin. Her beautiful breasts dangled over him like ripe, golden fruit. When he touched one of her nipples, she slapped his hand away. The wildness in her tempted him to toss her down on the quilt and fuck her senseless but those weren’t the rules. “I’m in charge now, remember?” she asked. “Yes, ma’am.” He put his hands under his head so he wouldn’t touch her. He groaned when she unbuttoned his pants and pulled out his throbbing cock. Her hands felt even softer there. He would have to find another job for her that didn’t involve shucking oysters so they always stayed this soft. If she didn’t marry Jimmy, their liaison didn’t have to end after all, did it? Hope shone inside him like sunlight after a storm. If they were very careful, it just might work. Caleb’s thoughts short-circuited when Pearl straddled his naked hips with her knees. They’d have to figure out the future later. Everything changed from minute to minute with them anyway. Remembering to put on another condom claimed all his attention. Her hands encircled the base of his member, guiding it into her wet center. His hips lunged upward, needing all of her right now but her small frame slid out of reach. “Who’s in charge?” she reminded him. “You are,” he replied with a ragged voice. Panting now, he waited while she lowered her pussy onto his rigid cock so slowly it nearly killed him. When he was finally completely inside her, beads of sweat broke out across his forehead. The heat from her cunt not only chased away the rainy chill, it set him on fire. “Ah, Pearl. You feel so damn good. Fuck me. Please fuck me.” But she didn’t move. “You’re getting me back, aren’t you?” She didn’t answer, just moved slower than a century as her impossibly snug pussy squeezed his shaft all the way down to the base. His balls tightened even more when she bent down and let her hair brush his chest. If she ever decided to let him come, he swore it would blow the roof off this shelter. He’d always enjoyed being in control but he had to admit liking this even better. Not knowing what she’d do next made his whole body tingle with electricity. Maybe he had been struck by lightning after all…
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While she moved up and down a little faster, he lifted his head to suck her nipples, intrigued by the wet marks his saliva left on her dark skin. Then he rubbed her hips, loving the sight of her pussy swallowing his pale cock even more. He would never get enough of this woman as long as he lived. “Harder, Pearl,” he said. “I need to come.” She lunged hard and eased up slowly. Before he could recover, she did it again and again. Each lunge nearly made him fly apart. His penis looked so wet and hard sliding out of the drenched folds of her swollen cunt. Just watching it alone would make him come, he was sure. A shiver went through him and he grabbed her hips harder. He was in charge now and he was going to make them both come. “Caleb!” Her scream echoed inside the shelter, ripping into him and releasing the savage beast in him. He yelled almost as loud as she did as the force of his climax pulled him to a sitting position. His hips pounded upward against her soft flesh as spasm after spasm squeezed him. When he released himself inside her, it felt as if he’d given her everything including his entire life force. Grabbing her torso, he fell with her to the quilt and they rolled, still moaning from the aftershocks of their climaxes. They rolled so far they ended up in the sand. After he removed his condom, he kissed her forehead and pulled her back to the quilt with him. “I like it when you’re in charge.” She lay beside him and rested her head on his chest. “We’re so right together, Caleb. Why do things have to be the way they are? I wish we could…never mind. I can’t even say it.” He squeezed her arm. “You wish we could marry? You know that’s impossible.” “Then I wish we could live on this island. It’s so nice to be away from all the rules and criticism.” A lump formed in his throat. “I couldn’t help thinking the same thing. The place is a little drafty and leaky though.” “It doesn’t matter with you here,” she said. He shook her gently. “Pearl, honey, be serious. I have a business to run. There’s no sense in talking about what can’t be.” Caleb breathed in the scent of her and the salty, damp wood around them, wondering if this was the last time he’d get to hold her close. If they continued their liaison on Oyster Island, they’d risk getting caught with each day that went by. Sleeping with her wouldn’t be as bad as marrying her in other white men’s eyes but he didn’t dare risk even that. Her family already suspected what they did in the shucking room. The mayor certainly wouldn’t see him in the same light if he knew. His daddy had built Rockfield’s with the sweat of his back. Caleb couldn’t risk losing it all, even for love. 121
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“How will it be between us when we get back?” she asked as if reading his mind. He squeezed his eyes shut, hating himself all over again for hurting her. “I think it might be best if we still went our separate ways.” Her only answer was a sharp inhale of breath. “Please don’t cry again. I’ll always love you.” She sat up. “You’re right. We can’t keep doing this. Even though I know you love me, I can’t stand the thought of acting like a whore.” “Then let’s hold each other until sunrise.” He took her in his arms and held on tight, hoping dawn never came.
***** Pearl watched the island grow smaller and smaller behind the wake of Caleb’s boat. Morning had come too soon. She stood next to him at the wheel with her hand on his arm, savoring their last minutes alone together. The pleasant soreness between her legs reminded her of their lovemaking. She was a woman now. “I might as well take you straight to your house,” Caleb said. “Church will be in session so you can drop me off there. It’s perfect.” He grinned. “That is perfect.” She looked down at the wrinkles in her dress and the sand on her shoes she couldn’t seem to completely remove. “Of course, I’m not fit for church after what I’ve done.” Caleb grabbed her chin. “What we did was beautiful, Pearl. You can tell your family you got caught in the storm and I rescued you.” “And maybe I walked out on some rocks to get some pretty shells and fell in the water.” Would everyone believe such an outlandish story? The boat skimmed over the water, which was calmer than yesterday. She wished it wouldn’t go so fast toward Oyster Island. “Caleb, since I’m not marrying Jimmy I’ll need to support myself. Will I still have my shucking job?” He frowned as if she’d insulted him. “Of course. I do think it best that you don’t clean for me anymore, though. Having you there after hours would be too tempting.” She pressed her lips together to hold back the emotions churning in her chest. They’d already agreed it would be best for them to go their separate ways but how would she ever live without this man? “I’ll still pay you extra,” he added. Warmth filled her chest. Even when they were parting he still tried to do what was best for her. No one had cared about her this much since Mama was alive.
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Pearl lifted her chin. “I don’t want your charity. Pay me for the shucking only.” His blue eyes glittered with admiration. “As you wish.” Oyster Island became larger the closer they got. Their private island was now out of sight as if it had never existed. Maybe it hadn’t. Caleb turned to her with a serious expression on his face. “We should say goodbye now while we still have privacy. Then it would look best if you sit at the stern like a…passenger.” She flung her arms around him and squeezed tight. Despite her efforts to control her emotions, tears flowed from her eyes and left wet spots on his soft, cotton shirt. Inhaling his scent only made them flow faster. “Oh, Caleb. I’m sorry.” She pulled back and looked at his face. “I guess I’m not very good at goodbyes.” His blue eyes grew luminous with unshed tears. “Neither am I. Never forget how special you are, Pearl. Never forget me.” She clutched the sides of his face and kissed him, savoring his moustache and the taste of his strong lips for the last time. “I won’t,” she said. “But how will we handle seeing each other publicly, especially at work?” “We’ll manage somehow,” he replied as he rained a dozen kisses across her face. “I wish you were marrying Jimmy so you’d be safe. At least you’ll be nearby so I can watch over you.” “I don’t need watching over,” she insisted. He winked at her then cast a worried look at the horizon where the buildings of Oyster Island were now coming into view. When he put his hat on, her hands flew to her hair, which hung around her face in wild, tangled locks. “Caleb, my hairpins. Where are they?” He reached into his shirt pocket and shrugged. “They must have fallen out on the island.” “I can’t go back looking this way. Not wearing a hat to church is scandalous enough. How about a piece of string?” “Now that I have.” He reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a piece. “You deserve a better gift from me than this.” “You’ve already given me so much,” she replied. He tapped the wheel with his fist. “Damn but I wish things could be different.” She took the string and headed to the stern where she sat down and braided her hair. If things were different, she’d be standing next to him as they pulled into port. They’d be married.
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Now that she wasn’t going to marry Jimmy and her affair with Caleb was over, she had nothing. Nothing but the memory of their love. It would have to be enough. Pearl’s heart raced as they approached the inlet to Crab Creek. The small white church with neat black shutters looked the same as it always had with the morning sun shining on it but she couldn’t be more different. “Good luck,” he told her as he helped her onto the grassy bank. “Goodbye, Caleb,” she said over her shoulder. She only made it a few steps before she had to turn back and look at him. He held his hand up in farewell and shot her a sad smile that twisted her heart in half. New tears slipped down her cheeks and her knees felt so weak on land she could barely walk. Wiping the tears away with both hands, she forced her gaze from Caleb’s retreating boat to the church. Luckily the booming sound of the reverend’s voice pouring from the open windows told her the service was already underway. Like a mouse, she crept in through the back door and found a spot on a pew in the back. Being bareheaded among the sea of hats made her feel naked. Despite her efforts to be quiet, several heads turned to see who’d been rude enough to arrive so late. Among them were Jimmy’s and those of her family. When she saw Leroy squeeze his eyes closed and expel a big breath of relief, guilt clawed at her for putting him through so much worry. “Fornication is evil!” Reverend Palmer exclaimed and then paused for emphasis. “It is…a…sin.” Pearl’s face went cold. Her heart pounded so hard she was sure it echoed off the plain wooden walls loud enough for the entire congregation to hear it. Was this the subject of today’s sermon? Couldn’t the reverend talk about something—anything— else? “Those who marry are joined and blessed by God,” the reverend went on, even louder. “Those who are chaste are bound for heaven. And where do those who fornicate outside of marriage go?” “Hell!” an older woman near the front supplied. Reverend Palmer slapped a fist into his open hand. “That’s right, sister. They go to hell! And what happens there?” “They burn,” the same woman replied. “Yes,” the reverend agreed. “The heat of their passions barbecues them for eternity.” Pearl jumped in her seat, sure someone had just lit a fire under her behind. She rubbed a hand over her face as she remembered running around naked on that island and spreading her legs for Caleb. Not only that, she’d gotten the wild idea to get on top of him. Such an act would probably be shameful even for a married woman. She couldn’t blame it on him and claim he’d forced or even seduced her.
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But how could making love to him be so wrong when it felt so beautiful? According to Reverend Palmer, she was a whore and a sinner. Thank goodness her affair with Caleb was finally over. Her hands clenched the back of the wooden pew in front of her, making it creak. As her gaze drifted to the back of Jimmy’s head, she realized she could still marry him and redeem herself. No, that would make her an even worse sinner. The air pressed around her, making it hard to breathe. As if to escape, she looked up at the ceiling and it reminded her of attending church with her mother as a little girl. Too young to understand the sermons, she used to stare at the ceiling. Oh, Mama. I need you now! I’ve done a terrible thing. She remembered an occasion several years ago, confessing to Mama that she’d accidentally broken their employer’s expensive vase. You can’t undo what you did yesterday, child. It’s what you do about it today that counts. That’s when Mama had confessed the biggest sin of her life. She’d explained she’d been punished for it and eventually recovered. Being good from then on had rewarded her with a good job and secure life. “Promise me, child,” Mama had said. “Promise me you’ll always be a good girl so life will be gentle with you.” “I promise,” she replied, never realizing how impossible it would be to keep. Never imagining, either, she’d break it. Well, so she had but there was always tomorrow. “I promise,” she whispered. Relief and strength settled over her like a calming embrace. As long as she stayed chaste from now on, she would be all right. Despite the reverend’s continued blustering, she lifted her chin with dignity. When the service finally ended, she went outside and waited for her family to come out. She clenched her cold, sweaty hands behind her back for strength. Jimmy got to her first and scooped her into his arms. The feel of him was so foreign to her now she knew she’d made the right decision not to marry him. Unfortunately she would have to tell him that today. “Oh, Pearl. Are you all right?” he exclaimed. “We were so worried about you.” She turned her head when he tried to kiss her. “I’m fine. Here’s my family. I’ll tell all of you at once what happened.” Aunt Wilma hugged her and then gripped her shoulders too hard. “Girl, where in God’s name have you been? You had us worried sick.” After taking a fortifying breath, Pearl told the story she and Caleb had planned. “The storm was so frightening.” Wilma crossed her arms and glared at her as if she didn’t believe her but she didn’t say anything. Jimmy put his arm around her. “I imagine you want to go home now and get some rest. May I call on you this evening?” 125
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Pearl felt as if a giant rock had just landed on her. She had to tell him she couldn’t marry him and didn’t want to wait a minute longer. “Can I talk to you for a moment?” “We’ll be waiting at the boat,” Leroy told her. She led Jimmy to a bench in a shady part of the church grounds and took his hand. “You’re a wonderful man,” she told him. “You would make such a good husband.” The smile on his face faded, degree by degree. “You’re not going to marry me, are you?” She shook her head. “I’m so sorry.” His head lurched as if she’d struck him physically. “Are you sweet on someone else?” All the blood dropped to her feet. Did he know about Caleb? She didn’t see how but the fact she loved another man must be stamped more clearly on her face than she realized. “I-I don’t have the feelings I should, the ones you deserve in a wife.” “Are you sure? You’ve just been through such an ordeal. Maybe you shouldn’t make up your mind until after you’ve had some rest.” “My mind is made up,” she insisted. He nodded and expelled a heavy sigh. “Well, I’m glad you’re tellin’ me now instead of standing me up at the altar. I guess I always had a feeling things weren’t quite right between us.” She squeezed his hand and stood up. “Thank you for understanding.” It felt strange to get back into the family rowboat, which was so much smaller than Caleb’s. “Where’ve you really been?” Aunt Wilma asked her. “I told you what happened,” Pearl said. The older woman leaned forward in her seat, across from Pearl, and pointed a finger at her. “I saw you out the church window, gettin’ off Caleb Rockfield’s boat.” Her movements made the old boat creak and rock with sickening lurches. Leroy stopped rowing for a moment and shrugged as if to tell her he’d done the best he could to keep her secret. Sadie just looked at her with interest while Uncle Charlie dozed. “Like I told you,” Pearl insisted, “he found me and rescued me.” “And spent the night with you, most likely,” Wilma replied. “You better hope Jimmy is as stupid as you think the rest of us are.” Pearl stared at the brackish creek water streaming by, wishing she could jump off this boat and away from her aunt. The reality of her life pressed around her like the marshy scent, making her memories of Caleb’s island so distant she wondered if they’d even happened.
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She dug her nails into her palms, knowing she was about to make Aunt Wilma even angrier than she already was but decided to wait until they reached the cottage. After everyone stepped out of the boat, she tried to draw strength from the solid ground beneath her feet. “Aunt Wilma, I’m not marrying Jimmy. I gave him the news just now at church.” The woman rose up on her heels and back down again, making her hat wobble. “You what? I don’t believe I heard you right.” “I don’t love him,” Pearl said. While Leroy lashed the boat to a tree, Charlie shuffled into the cottage and Sadie stood there listening. “What’s love got to do with anything? Jimmy’s got money and security.” Wilma crossed her arms and looked at her with such hatred Pearl felt as if the force of it might sink her into the sandy soil. “You little fool. You slept with that white man and now you think you love him. Well, you’d better clean for him real good so you keep gettin’ that extra money.” Pearl clasped her hands behind her back, realizing she couldn’t have made her aunt angrier if she’d tried. “I don’t have that job anymore, just shucking.” Wilma shook her head. “Now that he’s had you, he’s tired of you already. Didn’t I warn you? Now you got nothing.” It wasn’t like that. Caleb loved her but she didn’t dare say it. The other woman shook her finger again. “I knew you’d be trouble from the day you came here. Pack your things, girl, and get on out of here.” Pearl almost fell to her knees. “What?” “I said get out. You ain’t livin’ with us no more.” Sadie’s eyes widened. “But, Mama, she’s kin.” “Hush up, child, and get in the house.” Pearl watched the women go into the cottage and then finally sank to the ground. So many things were happening at once. Not only did she have no man, she was now homeless too. Shame scorched her from the inside out, making her feel as charred as the marsh after a big fire. She pressed her hands to her face to block out the world and prevent tears. Crying was for the righteous, not sinners like her. Leroy took her by the arm and pulled her up, guiding her to sit on the edge of the boat. She held up a hand. “Whatever you’re going to say, please don’t. I can’t take any more.” Instead of reproach, she saw admiration in his eyes under his plaid cap. “Lettin’ Jimmy go was the smartest thing you done yet.” “Thank you.” 127
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He pointed up the creek. “The Binghams got a barn you can stay in. I’ll take you.” She nodded, beyond words. “I’ll go fetch your things and some water and food.” Leroy patted her hand. “Mama’s just out of her head right now. She’ll come back to her right mind tomorrow.” But Pearl didn’t think she could live here again. It seemed she didn’t belong anywhere anymore. Even her memories of Caleb couldn’t help her now. It wouldn’t even surprise her if he fired her tomorrow, not wanting to contend with the temptation of having her around. And if he’d gotten her with child, she thought as her hand slid over her belly, she’d be in an even worse fix than she was already. She’d fornicated with a white man and was paying for it, just as the reverend warned.
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Chapter Thirteen Caleb sat at his dining room table with his head in his hands. Was his house always this big, empty and quiet or had he changed overnight? He longed for the island shelter with its leaky roof and sandy floor instead. He’d only been away from Pearl for a few hours and he already missed her terribly. Loneliness like he’d never felt before clawed at his chest. How could he stand to see her every day without being with her? It was a good thing fall was arriving. The busy oyster season would keep his mind occupied. When someone knocked on the door, he got up to answer it, grateful for the interruption. “Ida, I didn’t expect to see you on the Sabbath. Didn’t you come yesterday?” The gray-haired colored woman who cleaned for him every Saturday nodded, making the feathers on her Sunday church hat bob. “I came to tell you I can’t work for you no more, Mr. Rockfield.” When he invited her to sit in his parlor, her eyebrows lifted in surprise. “Don’t trouble yourself, Mr. Rockfield. I’ll be brief. My knees have been botherin’ me for some time. My sister got a place in the next county and invited me to live with her.” “Well, I wish you the best,” he told her. “I guess I’ll have to find someone else.” She waved a plump arm. “You got a big place here, Mr. Rockfield. I ain’t been able to do justice to it with my creaky old bones once a week. What you need is a full-time housekeeper.” “A full-time housekeeper?” Caleb stared at her as if her mind had gone as bad as her knees. He’d spent so little time at home since his wife had died he’d hardly given it much thought. It was just a place to sleep at night. “If you pardon my sayin’ so, sir,” Ida said, “a man of your stature should have a housekeeper. You could entertain and have someone answer the door when persons of importance come a callin’.” He scratched his head. “You do have a point. Can you recommend— Never mind. I’ll be right back with the rest of your earnings.” As he went into his study to put her final pay into an envelope, electricity danced through his veins. A live-in housekeeper. Of course! The situation couldn’t be more perfect. In fact, he didn’t think he’d realistically be able to keep his distance from Pearl for very long anyway. This way, they could be together legitimately in the eyes of society
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yet have complete privacy under his roof…and in his bed. His cock hardened just thinking about seeing her shapely limbs sprawled across his white sheets. He couldn’t wait to tell her.
***** Pearl took her place at the shucking table at work the next day feeling worse than she had on her first day here. At least then the burden of shame hadn’t weighed down her shoulders. The storm had brought a cold front with it, and her muscles ached from sleeping in the Binghams’ drafty barn. She hadn’t announced her presence to them last night in fear they’d somehow see what a sinner she was and kick her out too. This morning, she’d only shown herself so she could ride in their boat to work. Her suitcase was in the cloakroom. This was her only home now. When Aunt Wilma passed her on the way to her work station, she didn’t speak. Sadie gave her one of the smiles she’d taught her, but didn’t speak either. Even Leroy was quiet in front of the others. And having Jimmy working beside her was so awkward she was glad he didn’t say anything either. She gazed around the room but didn’t see any empty spots she could move to. Her fingers fumbled with each oyster today. Now that the pressure was on her to make a living shucking, she couldn’t seem to do it properly. She even accidentally nicked herself with the knife. When the floor man dumped another load of oysters on her table, she felt like sweeping them all onto the floor. Could she do this the rest of her life? She had to find a way without taking Caleb’s charity money or telling Jimmy she’d changed her mind about marriage. Maybe she should run out to the dock crying again as she had that first day. This time Caleb wouldn’t come by to offer her a hanky. She felt even more alone now than she had the day her mother passed on. Get through the day, she told herself. And then the day after. She could do this. Halfway through the morning, something rolled on her table. Assuming it was a pebble, she reached out to sweep it out of her way but stopped when she noticed how round it was. Forgetting about her work, she cleaned off the mud clinging to the white orb, which was about half the size of a pea. “It’s a pearl! I found a pearl!” she yelled. The steady thumping of knives on oyster blocks around her came to a halt. “Somebody fetch Mr. Rockfield,” Leroy called out. “We got a pearl.” Pearl’s excitement from her unexpected find turned to dread at the thought of seeing Caleb face-to-face. Now she wished someone else had found it. After all, her life wasn’t the least bit pearly now.
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“A pearl for Pearl,” Jimmy commented as he peered at her hand to get a closer look. “How about that. Do you know with all the oysters I’ve shucked, I never once got me a pearl?” She avoided his gaze as her rejection hung unspoken between them. Moments later, she heard familiar footsteps that sent such an unexpected thrill through her body she had to look down. “Miss Wilson, I understand you found a pearl?” Seeing Caleb’s face reminded her of the unshed tears she’d seen in his eyes when they’d said goodbye on his boat. It reminded her, too, of the passion that had contorted it when she’d lowered her pussy so slowly onto his cock. The remaining soreness there vanished behind a sudden flame of heat. “Caleb, look!” She held the pearl out to him. “I just found it.” His pale gaze froze and she soon realized her mistake. “Forgive me, Mr. Rockfield.” He smiled politely. “Well, I can’t fault you for being excited but according to company policy, that pearl belongs to me.” “Yes, sir.” She used all her concentration to transfer the pearl from her hand to his without dropping it and without touching him. Her hand shook so much she failed at both, having to grab his hand with both of hers to keep the pearl from falling. The touch of his warm, familiar skin nearly undid her. She needed those hands on her face, her breasts and between her legs where liquid warmth trickled inside her panties. His fingers closed around the pearl and he brought his hand to his chest while his eyes glittered with everything they’d meant to each other. “I-I’ll put this away for safekeeping,” he said. “Thank you for giving it to me.” So this was the second pearl she’d given him. After he left, she found Jimmy staring at her with a look of disbelief in his eyes. He must have noticed when she’d called Caleb by his first name. Had her love and desire shown on her face too? The hurt in Jimmy’s eyes told her it had. “Jimmy, are you all right?” she asked. “Would you like to go somewhere and talk?” His jaw worked as he shook his head. “No, Pearl. I already know everything I need to know.” “I’m sorry,” she whispered.
***** Later that afternoon, Pearl entered Caleb’s office after the floor supervisor had summoned her there. “You wanted to see me, Cal—Mr. Rockfield?” “Close the door and have a seat,” he told her.
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“You aren’t— It’s the middle of the day,” she said, “and we agreed—” He shot her a warm smile that melted her inside as he leaned back in his chair. “We’re just going to talk.” She watched as he opened his hand face-up on the desk, revealing the small pearl resting on his palm. “Do you know why oysters make pearls?” he asked. “They begin as grains of sand, don’t they?” He nodded. “They come from adversity. The sand irritates the oyster and it responds by coating it with these beautiful, lustrous layers. Isn’t that something?” Pearl found it difficult to breathe as she watched his fingertip stroke the round object. Her nipples throbbed, longing to be in its place. Why had he summoned her to discuss oysters and pearls? She gripped the arms of her chair, about to stand up. “I should get back to work.” He pinned her with his pale stare. “I have a new job for you that will turn your sand into a pearl. Mine too.” “I told you I won’t accept charity,” she insisted. “It’s not. My cleaning lady just quit and convinced me I’m so important I need a full-time housekeeper.” Hearing the name of her mama’s profession made her lean forward in her chair. “Really?” “I think it would be the perfect solution, don’t you?” She put her hands to her face. “Do I? It does sound perfect. I slept in a barn last night.” Caleb’s chair jerked forward with a wrenching squeak. “You what?” “Aunt Wilma threw me out when she heard I wasn’t going to marry Jimmy.” “I’m sorry to hear that. Now I really refuse to take no for an answer.” “Yes. I can…move in this evening.” Pearl could hardly believe the words she was saying. After resigning herself to only seeing Caleb occasionally at a distance, she was about to live in his house. He grasped the pearl and extended his arm across the desk. “I believe this belongs to you.” She held out her hand. “I thought it was yours.” “It’s ours.” Pearl slipped the small orb into her dress pocket as she walked out of his office, smiling for the first time since she’d left the private island. She would have a roof over her head again and honest work that she was good at while spending time with the man she adored. It was perfect. It was a dream.
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The only thing that worried her was how tempting it would be to have Caleb so close in such private quarters. Despite what she’d already done, she wasn’t about to succumb to fornication again.
***** Caleb’s heart beat a mile a minute when he parked in front of his home and helped Pearl out of the car. As he looked at his two-story Victorian house, he wondered if the green shutters and white pillars looked too pretentious. Would it be the day she’d seen him on the mayor’s yacht all over again? Instead of objecting, she walked over to touch the trunk of his big oak tree and smell his rosebushes. After climbing the porch steps, he opened the door and showed her inside. If circumstances were different, he’d carry her over the threshold as his wife. He wasn’t complaining. This arrangement would be almost as good. Her earthy scent tantalized him as she walked past, making his cock harden with anticipation. She still wore her hair in a long braid he longed to play with. “Caleb, it’s all so grand,” she said as she walked around the big parlor. Just as he had on the island, he saw everything for the first time through her eyes. He’d never thought of his white clapboard house on the waterfront as grand but after living in the Johnson shack, it must look like a palace to her. “Gertrude, my late wife, decorated it,” he said. “It’s too formal for me but I never bothered to change it.” When Pearl ran her hand down the floor-length damask drapes, the look of wonder on her face flooded his chest with warmth. It was a big improvement from the dead expression in her eyes today at work. She’d looked as broken as a crushed oyster shell. If only he could have hugged and comforted her in front of everyone as he’d longed to do. He’d suspected her homecoming would be difficult but the last thing he expected to hear was that she’d spent the night in a barn. It crushed him even more to realize he’d been the cause of her misery. At least now he could give her the life she deserved. “It almost reminds me of…Annapolis.” She lifted the blue drapery tassel and ran her fingers through the fringe. “Of home.” He put his arm around her. “Then this is where you belong, honey. At least you won’t be freezing this winter on Crab Creek.” Looking at his fireplace, he pictured them in front of it making love. Pearl would be anything but cold this winter… She turned and put her hand to her chest as she crossed the parlor. “You have a piano.” “That was my wife’s too,” he admitted, following her. “A man comes to tune it once a year. All you have to do is dust it.” 133
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As she ran her hand over the wooden flap covering the keys and nodded, he wished there weren’t so many reminders of Gertrude. Pearl deserved a house she could decorate as her own. All in due time, he thought. Their life together was just now getting started. “It needs cleaning and polishing too,” she added. “The dust is ground in around the hinges.” “Ida only cleaned once a week and she was getting on in years,” he said, “so things have gotten a bit neglected.” She shot him a smile that went straight to his balls. “Don’t worry. I’m going to make this house spotless.” “Well, you don’t have to wear yourself out.” Caleb didn’t want her to be too tired to make love. “You hired me to be your housekeeper.” She raised her chin. “I intend to earn my keep. I can even clean your car.” He looked out the window where she pointed to it. “That won’t be necessary.” “I still can’t believe you drive an old Model T,” she added. “I expected the king of Oyster Island to have something fancier.” “I’m not a fancy man,” he replied with a shrug. “The island is so small I walk most everywhere anyway except to work.” She turned from the window. “Show me the rest.” Caleb couldn’t help smiling as he took her arm and led her toward the kitchen. He’d finally met someone who worked as hard as he did. “Wait. What’s this?” she asked, stopping in front of the dark room next to it. “My study.” He flipped on the light. As if drawn to it, she walked toward the painting on the wall. “Is this…your father?” “It is.” A strange warmth settled in his chest as he turned out the light after them and continued to the kitchen. It was as if he was showing her the rooms of his life, not just his house. “You’ll figure out where everything is as you go,” he said. The look of wonder on her face returned. “You have an electric stove. Tell me what you like to eat so I’ll know what to cook.” He tugged on her arm. “Later. Let’s get your luggage. I want to show you the upstairs.” Especially his bed. With her suitcase in one hand and her arm in the other, he climbed the wide staircase with her. It probably looked pretentious too with its varnished treads and decorative molding. He wished now his late wife had had simpler tastes in housing. 134
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After briefly showing her the bathroom and two spare bedrooms, he brought her into his room. It took up a large portion of the back of the house. Two windows revealed a view of the water. The remains of sunset spilled across the water while dusk cast deep shadows into the room. He set her suitcase down beside his heavy four-poster bed, thinking it never looked so good. No more oyster table, boat or sandy hut. This time he was going to fuck her in a real bed like a true lady deserved. “It’s very grand and fits a man of your stature,” she said. “Where is my room? I’m tired and dirty.” He imagined she was after spending the night in a barn. The thought made him want her even more—wild, messy and screaming with passion. Caleb took her in his arms. “Your room is here and you’ll have to wash up later. I want you now, in my bed.” Something cold slid down his spine when she turned her head away from his kiss and pushed him away. He hoped she was just tired but he had a feeling that wasn’t it. Even after shucking all day, her passion during those evening cleaning session had been tireless. Did she regret not marrying Jimmy? Was she just using him to have a roof over her head? “Is something wrong or are you just tired?” he asked. She crossed her arms and bit her lower lip. Watching even that simple action made the tip of his cock throb. If they stood in this bedroom much longer he was going to throw her on that bed if she liked it or not. “Caleb, I can’t get into your bed. Not tonight. Not ever.” His hearing must be going bad. He grabbed one of the bedposts for support. “What?” A deep breath made her chest rise, drawing his attention to her breasts. “You hired me to be your housekeeper. If you expect more than that, I can’t work for you.” It felt as if the floor had just dropped beneath his feet. Was this the same woman who’d kissed him on his boat with tears of love in her eyes? He must be having a nightmare. “Pearl, don’t tease me to get me more aroused.” A growl filled the back of his throat as he reached for her. “I’ve thought about you all day and I’m out of patience. Hell, I thought I’d lost you for good yesterday.” She spun out of his grasp and clutched the edge of his door. “Caleb, don’t touch me. Please.” “I’m sorry.” He held out his arms. “I don’t want to force myself on you but I need to hold you. I missed you.” But she stayed by the door. He clasped his hands behind his back so he wouldn’t be tempted to touch her.
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“Pearl, what is going on? You at least owe me an explanation.” He winced when an awful thought occurred to him. “My God, did Jimmy attack you or something when you told him you couldn’t marry him?” She held up a hand. “No, it’s not that.” “Then what?” Caleb yelled in spite of himself. “I can understand if you don’t want to make love right now but you won’t even let me hold you. You’re not acting like the woman I know. I thought you loved me.” “I do love you.” He frowned and scratched his head. “Did I miss something?” To his surprise, she stepped forward and touched his face so briefly it was as if a butterfly had brushed him with its wings. Feeling her touch after she’d pushed him away nearly buckled his knees. Despite her small size, she’d filled his entire house with her presence—and an iron resolve he’d never seen in her before—in just moments. With all the willpower he could muster, he left his hands at his sides and didn’t touch her. There had to be an explanation. The love was still there in her eyes. “Caleb, we can’t be lovers anymore.” She put her hand to her chest. “I can’t.” “Why not?” “Because it wouldn’t be right,” she replied. He shook his head. What on earth had happened to her? “You seemed to think it was all right on the island. You even got on top of me, remember?” She looked away and covered her face with her hand. “Don’t remind me how shameless I acted.” “But this is the perfect situation.” He swept his arms wide to indicate the room. “Here, the eyes of the world can’t see what we do. We have to be discreet, of course, when we’re in public. We have to keep the doors locked and can’t stand in front of the windows naked.” She shook her head and pressed her lips into a stubborn line. “We can’t act like a married couple if we’re not.” He dared to touch her shoulder, feeling triumph when she didn’t pull away. “Pearl, you know I’d marry you if I could.” Her lips trembled with emotion. “I know but the point is we can’t.” “No one will know what we do here.” She slapped her chest. “I’ll know inside.” “I guess I’m just a businessman looking at what’s practical.” He let go of her and put a hand on his hip. “To me, keeping up appearances is enough.” “Not for me,” she replied. “If virtue is so important to you, then why didn’t you marry Jimmy?”
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She clasped her hands together. “Because I didn’t love him. It wouldn’t be fair to him.” Caleb rubbed his forehead. “I wish you’d told me this before I hired you. This isn’t what I expected at all.” “I would have but I was afraid someone would overhear in your office in the middle of the day,” she said. “I wouldn’t blame you if you changed your mind.” Change his mind? What kind of man would he be to leave her out in the street? Her oyster shucking skills were fair at best and she had no home. “What are you suggesting exactly?” he asked. “I’ll be a housekeeper in every way,” she said calmly. “I’ll clean, cook and—” He waved. “I couldn’t care less about all that. What are the rules?” She looked thoughtful as if she were figuring this out as she went along. “We’ll spend time together, of course. We can sit together in the parlor in the evenings, talking and reading.” Caleb rolled his eyes. She’d just described his passionless marriage. “Am I allowed to kiss you?” he asked. “I’m sorry, no. An occasional embrace will be fine as long as it doesn’t last too long.” She looked at him with serious eyes. “The attraction between us is strong so we’ll have to be very careful not to tempt each other.” He turned and planted his hands on the edge of the dresser. “You’re asking an awful lot of me.” “I know and I appreciate it, Caleb. Companionship has its own joys, you know. It’s better than being strangers.” Companionship. He couldn’t even think about her without picturing her naked and moaning with pleasure. After all, their relationship up to now had mostly been a sexual one. Did he really love her or just her body? He supposed he was about to find out. “What I don’t understand is why,” he said. “How could you change so much in one day?” She touched his arm. “Caleb, when I walked into that church Sunday, the reverend was giving a sermon about the sins of fornication. I realized how wrong those things we did together really were.” They weren’t wrong, damn it! But he knew better than to argue with her right now. “And then Aunt Wilma kicked me out of her house. I was so humiliated.” When her voice broke, he turned and pulled her into his arms. To hell with the rules. He squeezed his eyes shut, feeling as if a missing piece of him had just been put back. “I’m so sorry I put you through that, honey,” he whispered.
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“It’s not your fault we’re not the same color,” she said, hugging him back. “At least I can be a decent person going forward.” What a woman she was, always trying to work hard, live an honest life and do the right thing. The very qualities that made him love her were going to drive him out of his mind. She pulled back just enough to look at him. “Do you see? Getting this housekeeping job is like having my past restored, the way it was before Mama died. It’s my second chance in life to do the right thing.” He did understand, more than she knew, but that didn’t make it any easier. Heaving a sigh of resignation, he grasped her chin between his thumb and forefinger, wishing the velvety texture of her skin wouldn’t make his groin so tight. “Pearl, I want you to know I’ll never make you do anything you don’t want to do.” She gently removed his hand. “Thank you. Now if you’ll show me to the attic, I’ll freshen up before I cook your dinner.” “The attic?” Did she honestly expect him to let her sleep up there? “Nonsense. You can have the large spare bedroom.” “The small one will be just fine.” She reached for her suitcase by the door. “What would you like for dinner?” He took the luggage for her. “I’m afraid I don’t give a damn about dinner right now.” What he truly hungered for he could no longer have. He had no idea how he was going to live with such temptation without losing his mind but he would try his best, for her.
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Chapter Fourteen When Pearl woke up the next morning, Caleb had already left for work. After going out to buy some new hairpins, she found cleaning supplies in the kitchen and rolled up her sleeves. Where to begin? The house needed a lot of work but it couldn’t all be done in one day. She grabbed the feather duster, deciding to start with dusting. She wanted to do a thorough job since she’d disappointed Caleb with her vow of chastity. He was a fine man to respect her wishes. It wasn’t easy for her either. She’d dreamed about being in that big bed of his last night with his lean hips flexing between her open thighs. As she dusted a picture of him hanging in the parlor, she lingered to admire his pale eyes and dark moustache. Even his serious expression intrigued her. He held up a big fish in the picture. She clung to the textured wallpaper for support because looking at his strong hands made her skin burn to feel them on her again—caressing her inner thighs, tugging at her nipples… Get that thought right out of your mind, Pearl Wilson. You have a job to do. The Victorian chairs and heavy antique tables reminded her of Annapolis and she dusted each one with care. Everything was heavy and solid with quality. The thick rugs on the wooden floor cushioned each step and she hadn’t felt this clean in weeks after soaking in the big bathtub last night. Even the flushing toilet delighted her. Caleb’s home was worlds apart from the Johnson cottage and standing at the shucking table all day. This is your second chance, child. Don’t ruin it. Pearl heard her mother’s words as if she were in the room with her. She saved the upright piano for last. After dusting it, she sat on the padded bench and rolled back the cover from the keys. The window next to it, on the side of the house, had a view of the street and bend of shoreline where a seagull squealed, wheeling against the autumn breeze. Would Caleb mind if she played his piano? She just tested one key, resolving to ask his permission this evening. The resonance of that one note pulled her back to the past and Annabelle’s piano lessons. Unable to stop herself, she played a song she knew by heart and then another. How happy Caleb’s wife must have been, she thought as she looked out the window. How lucky, too, to be able to marry him. She looked down at the keys, black ones mixed with white. If the music from these different-colored keys could harmonize so well, why couldn’t she and Caleb in the eyes of society?
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She put the key cover back down and stood, thinking she should be at the shucking plant instead where there was too much commotion to think about the impossible. To distract her thoughts, she turned on the big radio. Next, she cleaned the intricate crevices of the curlicues in the carved wood of the furniture and started polishing. The hours flew by as she worked. When the sun began to set while she worked upstairs, she realized the task wasn’t going to get done today. The constant physical activity finally made her eyelids and limbs heavy. She went into Caleb’s room, inhaling the faint masculine scent from his shaving supplies. The heavy furniture, combined with the dark green of the rug and broad stripes in the wallpaper, reminded her she was in a man’s lair. Then she stared at the bed. It looked massive and imposing yet inviting and comfortable at the same time, just like the man himself. He’d made it very clear how much he wanted her in it. He had no idea how much she wanted to be in it too. As she ran her hand down one of the dark, glossy posts, she pictured the two of them there waking up on a Saturday morning, nestled in each other’s arms. She also saw their arms and legs tangled in the sheets, their skin damp with passion. Something that could never be. It wasn’t fair! She touched the smooth, white coverlet, realizing Caleb had not only made up his own bed but very neatly too. Her feet ached from being on them all day. Lying on that bed would feel so good. If housekeepers didn’t play pianos without permission, they certainly didn’t lie in the master’s bed. One moment wouldn’t hurt, she decided. She just wanted to see how it felt and imagine what it would be like to share it with Caleb. After that, she’d never go near it again. After making sure there was no stray dust on her dress, she took off her shoes and placed them beside the bed. It was so high she had to hoist a leg up and climb on. As soon as she flipped onto her back, she exhaled a sweet sigh. Never in her life had she lain on something so soft and heavenly. It was like lying on a fluffy cloud. More tired than she realized, she decided to close her eyes but just for a moment. Not long after, a dream of Caleb filled her mind while her limbs still floated on that soft cloud. His sea-breeze scent beckoned until his moustache brushed across her nose. Hot, strong lips found hers and kissed. His tongue slipped inside her mouth as the dream image penetrated her mind more deeply. Heat built between her legs as her hands reached for the man who enticed her. Short hair brushed her fingertips and the mouth burned a wet, fiery path down her chest. Her nipples ached for attention. At the same time, a strong, warm hand traveled up the inside of her leg.
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She moaned when a finger slipped inside the wide leg of her cotton panties, replacing her sweet, dreamy paralysis with urgent need. “Caleb,” she whispered as she rocked her hips and the sound of her juices filled the air. She wanted all of him. Not just his finger. His cock… “Mmm. You feel so wet and good.” The familiar voice rumbled in her ear. “Thank God you’re back, Pearl.” Pearl blinked several times and finally gasped when she opened her eyes wide. This was no dream. Caleb was on top of her with his searing mouth on her neck and his hand under her dress. Oh no! How could she have let this happen? She should never have lain on his bed! The cleaning had worn her out so much she’d fallen fast asleep. The events pieced themselves together in her mind with hopeless clarity. Caleb must have come home, found her in his bed and assumed she’d changed her mind about everything she’d told him the day before. Which meant they would have to go through that painful conversation all over again. “Caleb, no,” she managed to utter but her voice was barely audible, much less convincing. “I told you I don’t like to be teased,” he said with a growl as he clamped her earlobe between his teeth. “Come for me, Pearl. Christen my bed, honey, with one of your screaming climaxes.” Worse still, she couldn’t seem to summon the willpower to make him stop. Her hands moved to his chest, intending to push him away but they didn’t have a bit of strength in them. “This is a big misunderstanding,” she said. “Let me explain.” But his finger kept stroking, working magic inside her. She could barely even find the strength to stop her hips from writhing. Oh this wasn’t what she’d planned at all! Sweet, familiar tension clawed at her spine and abdomen. If one of them didn’t stop, Caleb was going to get the climax he’d asked for. “Caleb, I mean it. We can’t do this! We talked about this yesterday.” His mouth sucked the tender skin on her neck, the pressure of his moustache and lips making her nearly blind with passion. “You’re in my bed,” he stated as if that negated all their previous negotiations. He stroked her harder and faster until her thighs vibrated with the electric rings of pleasure surrounding her. With no strength left to fight him, she simply laid her hand on his arm, feeling the muscles bunch under her fingers. Tears of frustration stung the backs of her eyes as Caleb rubbed one of her rockhard nipples through the fabric of her dress. She’d planned her new life so carefully and it hadn’t even lasted one day. Her needy cunt didn’t seem to give a damn about her plans. 141
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Before she could stop it, her body contracted in on itself and a scream ripped out of her throat. “Oh, that’s it, honey,” Caleb said as he stroked her pussy. “Climax all over my big bed.” Pearl’s arms dropped to her sides in defeat. It was too late to stop him now. Once again, her passion had overwhelmed her common sense. At least it was over now. She would make sure to stay away from his bed from now on. Shock chased away the afterglow of her climax when she saw him fumble with his trousers and pull out a very hard organ. Just seeing it sent a sharp ache of longing through her. She struggled for strength with all her might. “I only meant to lie on your bed for a moment,” she said, “but I was so tired I fell asleep. Please don’t do this.” Doubt wavered on his face, competing with lust as he grabbed her knees and spread them. “But you’re so wet and ready for my cock, Pearl. Please let me fuck you.” Having that blue gaze bathing her outspread cunt made it even wetter. Why did her body betray her so? “I’m sorry, Caleb. We can’t. We just can’t!” He let go of her knees and stroked his shaft, filling the air with the scent of male arousal. Seeing the engorged head, slick with his pearly juice, made her clitoris throb no matter how tightly she pressed her knees together. “Then why did you let me get this far?” he asked. “You climaxed.” She lifted her head and pulled the hem of her dress down. “I didn’t mean to. At first I thought I was dreaming about you. When I woke up, I didn’t have the strength to stop you.” “Then suck me,” he said, his voice raspy with need as he stroked himself. “I need to come too.” Her mouth watered as she eyed his cock. Oh she’d made such a mess of things. Now she was torturing the man she cared for and he didn’t deserve it. She sat up and hugged her knees. “I can’t do that either.” He crouched on his knees, stroking himself even faster. His lubricating juices sounded almost as slick as her pussy had moments before. Her thighs trembled beneath her dress as if the world would end if he didn’t come inside her. She was so desperate to join with him it nearly brought her to tears. Deciding to be celibate was difficult enough. Standing by that decision while watching his hard, gyrating penis was more than she could bear. “I must have imagined having you in my bed a hundred times,” he bit out as he breathed hard. “Somehow this isn’t quite what I pictured.” “I’m sorry about this terrible misunderstanding,” she said quietly.
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She couldn’t seem to move or stop watching his cock. Just as she finally moved her legs to the edge of the bed to dismount, Caleb’s breaths came so fast they melded into one. He pulled a hanky out of his shirt pocket, barely getting it near the head of his member before pearly streams of semen shot into the crisp folds of the fabric. Pearl forgot to breathe as she watched, remembering his office where she’d swallowed his offering and the island where he’d spread it across her belly. Should they kiss now? Would it matter? They’d already done far too much. Caleb stuffed his spent penis back in his trousers and balled the soiled hanky in his hand. “If you want me to play by your rules,” he said, “follow them yourself and stay the hell out of my bed!” Before she could reply, he jumped off the bed and went through the bedroom door, slamming it behind him. Moments later, she heard the front door of the house slam. Too stunned by everything that had happened to get up, she reached for a pillow and hugged it to her waist. She’d disappointed her mama’s memory, Caleb and herself. The fleeting pleasure hadn’t been worth breaking her vow, especially without the cuddling and words of love she and Caleb could have shared afterward. Instead, her body felt hollow.
***** The next evening, Caleb almost dreaded going home. The oyster harvest was in full swing now and he’d been so busy at work he hardly had time to think about Pearl. Now that he was simply driving his car along the waterfront, the images of her on his bed came back to him full force. How could they have had such a terrible misunderstanding? At the time, he’d been too crazy with desire to believe her story about accidentally falling asleep on his bed and thinking she was dreaming. This morning he’d noticed the way all his furniture gleamed as if it were brand new and he finally believed her. He wasn’t sure if he was glad he’d gotten another chance to rub her tight pussy or not. It only made him want her more. Sleeping in his bed last night, surrounded by the lingering scent of her passion had given him a few dreams of his own. The less time he spent at home the better, he decided as he pulled up to the house. In fact, he’d just eat dinner and head back out to socialize with his brother. Maybe he’d find a good card game somewhere. He walked to his front door and frowned when he heard a piano playing. He was in no mood for visitors tonight. After he entered and hung up his hat, he closed the door gently behind him and stood watching with his jaw hanging slack. Pearl was playing his piano. Beautifully. Forgetting all the tension between them, he stood quietly and listened as he admired the graceful curve of her neck beneath the carefully pinned hair. A fire burned 143
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in the hearth and the occasional hiss of sparks punctuated the music. The melody she played brought a smile to his face and his heart. This woman never ceased to surprise him. Every day she did something new. She’d lived in his house for less than three days and already he couldn’t imagine the place without her. He tried to stifle a sneeze but failed. The music ended abruptly as the key cover crashed down. “Caleb!” She put her hand to her chest. “How long have you been standing there?” He winked at her. “Long enough to enjoy the concert.” “I meant to ask your permission to play it but with everything that happened, I forgot.” “You don’t need permission.” He flipped the key cover back up and sat beside her on the bench. “Everything in this house is yours…except my bed…unless you mean it.” She lowered her eyes to the keys. “Understood. Are you still angry with me?” “No, I’m not angry,” he replied. “I’m sure that misunderstanding won’t happen again.” “I made some crab soup earlier today,” she said. “I didn’t know what time you’d be home.” Or if he’d be home, she’d probably wondered. “That’s fine and I’m sorry if I was unkind to you.” She nodded in acceptance but still looked troubled. “Caleb, if I’m to be your housekeeper, I should always know where you are in case someone needs to see you.” Now that was a rule he could accept. “Last night I went to the Sapphire Crab to see my brother, Henry. If I should go out in the evening again, I’ll most likely be there or the plant.” He let out a slow breath. Just sitting next to her made his cock stir back to life. He longed to pull out her hairpins and carry her up to his bedroom. Instead, he placed his hand over one of hers as it rested on the keys. Then he picked it up and examined each elegant finger. “Now I realize why I’ve always found your hands so beautiful. Shucking oysters is a travesty for hands like this. Why didn’t you ever tell me you played?” She shrugged, making her breasts shift invitingly under her dress. “There was no point. I had to make a living.” “Well, things are easier now,” he told her. “I want to buy you some new dresses so you don’t have to wear hand-me-downs anymore.” Her mouth formed a hard line. “I appreciate your generosity but I can’t accept your charity, Caleb. Do you sing?” He laughed at the unexpected change of subject. “Do I sing? No. Do you?” “I will if you will,” she said, then suggested a popular tune. 144
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“There’s no sheet music.” He pointed to the bare wood panel in front of them. “You play by memory?” When she nodded, he found himself surprised once again. As her fingers moved across the keys and her sweet voice filled his parlor, he could easily picture doing this every night of his life. When she reached the chorus, she elbowed him in the ribs to sing along. He did and laughed in the middle of the song when his voice went off key. By the time the song was over, they were both doubled over with laughter. “I told you I don’t sing,” he said. Both of them stopped laughing at the same time. When her eyes grew dark and mysterious, Caleb succumbed to the all-too familiar pull of desire. He’d forgotten all about finding a card game but it was time to get out of here before they broke the rules again and ended up back in his bed. “This was nice,” she said. He nodded. “It was. I suppose we’re capable of companionship after all.” She smiled. “Yes, I suppose we are.” Unable to resist, he put his arm around her and pulled her toward him. Not to kiss her but just feel her next to him. When she put her head on his shoulder, he felt complete. When someone knocked on the door, Caleb frowned, not welcoming any intrusion on the private, homey world he and Pearl had built around this piano tonight. “Aunt Wilma,” Pearl exclaimed as she answered the door. “What are you all doing here?” “We came to see you, child.” The older woman’s voice raised the hairs on the back of Caleb’s neck. This was the woman who’d pushed Pearl out of her house. She lived with him now and he wasn’t about to let anyone hurt her again. “You doin’ all right?” Leroy asked Pearl as he shot Caleb a challenging look. Caleb suppressed a smile at the boy’s protectiveness. Pearl turned to him. “Cal—Mr. Rockfield, would it be all right if my family comes into the parlor to visit with me?” Caleb got off the piano bench. “Sure. I’ll be in my study.” Pearl’s two cousins looked uncomfortable as they sat on the Victorian chairs. Not willing to let Pearl out of earshot, he headed to his study where he could still hear everything. He lit a pipe and smoked it. “I’ll go make us some tea,” Pearl said. “Well, well, well,” Wilma exclaimed when Pearl returned. “You done right well for yourself.” “It’s wonderful to be a housekeeper again,” Pearl replied.
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“Just look at us here drinking tea like royalty,” Wilma exclaimed. “Child, I’m real sorry I kicked you out of the house. I just had my heart set on your marrying Jimmy. Looks to me like you don’t need him now anyway.” “Do you remember Buck Jackson?” Sadie asked. “He asked for permission to court me.” Pearl clapped. “Oh, that’s wonderful, Sadie. I’m so happy for you.” “Must be nice, sittin’ around here all day like a lady of leisure,” Wilma said. “Some of us don’t have such pretty faces and gots to work hard for a living.” “I work hard,” Pearl replied. The old woman’s tone turned sly. “‘Specially in the bedroom, I’ll bet.” Caleb bit down on the end of his pipe. He was not going to put up with anyone insulting Pearl in his house. Throwing the sour woman out would probably shame Pearl even more, however, so he stayed where he was. “I am his housekeeper and nothing more.” Pearl spoke with firmness and pride. “Nothing goes on in this house that I wouldn’t want the whole world to see.” Choking on a breath of smoke, Caleb was glad the world hadn’t seen the painful spectacle of last night. A teacup clinked against a saucer. “Holdin’ out on him, are you?” Wilma asked. “That’s the way to keep him interested. You got more brains behind that pretty face than I give you credit for.” Caleb blinked, unable to believe what this woman was saying in front of her family. As he studied his pipe, he realized why Pearl was so strict about her rules. She needed to hold her head high above a society that always assumed the worst. And Aunt Wilma wasn’t the only one. Word of his new housekeeper had spread. His floor supervisor had even made an innuendo today about it. When Pearl asked about her Uncle Charlie, Wilma explained the change in weather had made his illness worse. Pearl excused herself and entered the study. Caleb put down his pipe. “I know she’s your relative but I’m about two minutes away from booting that woman out of my house.” She put a restraining hand on his arm. “Aunt Wilma can be a bit much. I’m sure they’ll be on their way soon.” “I kept my mouth shut, not wanting to embarrass you,” he added. “I appreciate that.” An uncomfortable expression settled over her face. “Caleb, do you plan to pay me on Fridays like the workers at the plant?” He shrugged. “I hadn’t thought about it. What do you prefer?” “I’d like to get some of my wages now, if you don’t mind.” “Don’t tell me you’re going to give any of your hard-earned money to that spiteful woman. I won’t have it.”
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She crossed her arms. “It’s my money and I can spend it how I please. Besides, it’s for the family, not just Aunt Wilma.” He went to his desk and filled an envelope with the money he owed her, marking the sum in his ledger. After he handed it to her and watched her stash only a small portion into her bra, he grabbed her arm. “You’re giving most of it away.” “I have more than I need,” she said. “They don’t and they’re my family.” A family that had mostly turned its back on her but that didn’t seem to matter to her. As he watched her leave the room, he realized she’d surprised him once again. Admiration filled his chest so quickly it actually ached. This entire evening had played his emotions like the keys on that piano, leaving his knees weak and shaky. Wrestling with his physical desires in bed last night had been easier. He had found a real pearl, he realized. If only he could keep it.
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Chapter Fifteen Several days later, Pearl put her finishing touches on the glass-fronted spice rack in the kitchen. She’d thrown out the old spices that had succumbed to waterfront dampness and made sure the remaining bottles were clean and shiny. She’d cleaned up the tins of flour, sugar and lard too. The entire week she’d spent working hard to peel away the years of neglect from the house. She was careful to stay out of Caleb’s bed and didn’t even like to clean in his room. He’d spent so much time away from the house it was as if he didn’t even live here. She hoped the smell of spices and roasting chicken would at least entice him to stay for dinner. They’d been so close the night he’d sat with her at the piano, almost like a married couple. Hadn’t he enjoyed the companionship too? Maybe this spice rack would get his attention but she doubted it. When she heard the front door close, meaning he was home from work, her heart sped up. Moments later, he came into the kitchen. “Something smells good.” “Please stay for dinner,” she said. Caleb nodded, his eyes pale and unreadable. “How about if we go to the plant together and have oysters as an appetizer first?” Pearl sighed. “Caleb, you know what will happen if we go back to that room. Things are different now.” “I just thought you should get out of the house,” he said gruffly. “I’ll take a plate in my study but don’t go to any trouble the rest of the week. I plan to eat at the Sapphire Crab.” “All right.” She pointed to the spice rack. “I fixed this up today.” He hardly looked at it. “It’s nice.” When she bent down to pick a dropped clove from the floor, he sighed as if in distress and walked away. She followed and grabbed his arm. “Caleb, are you upset about something? You hardly looked at the spice rack and you’ve been so…distant.” He folded his arms and bathed her in a cool expression. “I don’t care about the spice rack. How can I even see it when you bend over that way? All I can look at is the way that tight, flowered fabric caresses your ass.”
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She took a step back, tugging downward on the skirt of her dress as if to make it cover her more. Knowing he’d been staring at her body flipped a switch inside her, heating her up like the electric oven nearby. “This is a respectable work dress or so I thought,” she said. “I can’t help the way I look.” “I know you can’t,” he replied. “The rules being what they are, I just have to keep my distance.” “But didn’t you enjoy the time we spent at the piano?” He nodded. “Very much. I tried, Pearl. I tried to let that be enough but I can’t look at you without needing you in every way a man needs a woman.” Her gaze lingered over his lips and moustache, making her remember too well how they felt on her face and breasts. All she had to do was say the word and he’d carry her up those grand stairs to his bed, spread her legs and thrust his powerful cock into her. He’d thrust hard too because he was so hungry for it. Just as hungry as she was. “Caleb, ever since that day in church, I feel as if Mama is watching over me. Even if she’s not, she lives in my heart.” She clutched her chest. “Please understand.” “I do understand with my head and my heart. I told you that.” He shrugged, looking helpless and torn. “But there’s a primitive man living inside me and I’m afraid he never will.” “I see.” She looked at the spice rack she’d worked so hard on, tempted to dump it all into the river. She wanted him in every way too but companionship was better than nothing to her. Apparently she didn’t have a primitive man living inside her like he did. “I’m trying to be understanding of you too, Caleb,” she said slowly. “If I make you so uncomfortable, I shouldn’t be here, chasing you out of your own house.” “Nonsense. We’ll work this out.” “I was illegitimate,” she blurted out. He blinked in surprise. “What?” “It’s true.” Then she told him the story of Mama’s life—how she’d been ostracized and destitute when her family found out she’d gotten with child. So why had their good life in Annapolis ended too? Maybe Mr. Stuart had sinned. “That’s why Mama made me promise to be good,” she insisted. “So I’d have a roof over my head and a good life.” He gripped her forearms. “Pearl, you are good. You can have a good life and me too.” But she bit her lower lip and shook her head. He would never understand. She would have to be content with his respect.
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After he went to his study, she took the chicken out of the oven, the steam fueling her tears. What use was it to live in this fine house, she wondered, if it was going to be so cold and empty? Having Caleb act like a stranger was almost worse than not having him in her life at all. She didn’t know how much longer either of them could withstand living together under these conditions. Unfortunately she had nowhere else to go. At least the physical activity that filled her days brought blessed sleep and forgetfulness. Once the house was completely in order, which it soon would be, how would she fill her days then? Thank goodness Caleb had a piano.
***** After dinner, Pearl closed the curtain over the small bathroom window and sifted pale bath salts into the steaming tub before turning off the water. She’d decided to have a nice bath and enjoy indoor plumbing while she still could. She reclined in the claw-foot tub and closed her eyes, determined to think of anything but Caleb. Unfortunately she couldn’t think about anything else. The way he’d looked at her… The raw need on his face… Of its own accord, her hand lingered over her breasts as she cleaned her body. When her fingers toyed with her nipples, making them tingle and elongate, they were his fingers. When she spread her legs, the hot water bathing her wet folds was his tongue. She clenched the edge of the tub, determined to keep her hands out of mischief but her body cried out in need for Caleb. The fierce burning inside her core had to be satisfied even if only with her thoughts. A finger slipped into her swelling folds, thrusting with increasing urgency. It was his finger, the evening he’d caught her sleeping in his bed. No, it was his cock—hard, slick and magnificent. Her head thrashed against the rim of the tub as water splashed with her mindless strokes…his strokes…faster and faster. As her muscles tightened with her mounting pleasure, she reached for the washcloth and pressed it to her mouth. Caleb mustn’t hear her. To her surprise, she managed to gasp instead of scream as hard spasms clenched her finger. The moment it was over, tears peppered the backs of her eyes as she realized her naughty deed had been a mistake. To her chagrin, she felt even less satisfied than when she’d begun. Oh, Caleb. I miss you so!
***** An hour later, Caleb pushed his plate across the roll-top desk in his study. Even though the chicken was cooked perfectly, it tasted like cardboard. Everything did lately. The faint trace of tobacco scent in the room didn’t even inspire him to light his pipe. 150
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All he could think about was Pearl’s curvy little ass under that thin layer of flowery cotton. He’d been more than tempted to have her bend over the oven and take her from behind. How good those coffee-colored globes would look with her juices spread all over them. Just thinking about it made his cock tingle and burn inside his trousers like the end of a live electric wire. He dragged his hands through his hair. I can’t take any more of this! He had to get out of this house. As he walked upstairs to use the john first, disappointment weighed down each step. When Pearl had first told him about her silly rules, he figured it was just a brief phase she was going through from the shame of being forced out of her aunt’s house. Now it appeared to be anything but quick. He hadn’t expected to learn she’d been an illegitimate child but she wasn’t a child anymore. The logical part of Caleb’s mind worked like the machinery at the oyster plant as he climbed. Pearl’s need for decency seemed to be tied to her mother but she couldn’t grieve for the woman forever. She was bound to return to her passionate and uninhibited self again. Unfortunately he was short on patience. And if he couldn’t convince her financial security didn’t require moral perfection, his bed would eventually freeze over. When he opened the bathroom door, he heard a splash. He couldn’t believe the sight laid out before him in the bathtub—slippery brown skin partially submerged in water made milky white with bath salts. “Jesus, Pearl!” He gripped the door, his cock turning to concrete so quickly it hurt. “Are you trying to kill me? Why didn’t you lock the door?” “I did. The latch must have slipped out.” He slapped at the small hook attached to the door. “Damn lock needs fixing.” She reached over the side of the tub, not quite able to reach a towel from the stack of them on the nearby rack without stepping out of it. “Please go,” she begged him. But he couldn’t move. “No. Let me look at you. Please. Just for a moment.” Their gazes locked across the small room. His eyes dipped to the delicious dark peaks poking through the creamy water—water so creamy it looked as if he’d climaxed in it. Boiling heat churned in his groin when he imagined tasting those erect nipples. Why were they so hard? The water looked steaming hot, not cold. Good heavens. She hadn’t been playing with them, had she? Despite her proper demeanor, was her body as starved as his? Of course it was. He had only to remember their passion on the island to know that. His gaze slid down to her navel and the wet hairs leading to her swollen cleft. Come to think of it, why was that so swollen too? Was it just the hot water or had she 151
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rubbed herself? Had she come? He didn’t ask her because he wouldn’t be able to control himself if she had. He gripped his suspenders so hard it felt as if his knuckles would pop off. If he stood there a moment longer, he was in danger of jumping into the water and claiming every bit of that wet, slick skin. With every muscle in his body pulled to the breaking point, he stepped closer. When she moved, the splashing sound set off a fluttering sensation in his balls. “I think I’m going to come right here and now just from watching you.” His throat was so tight his voice sounded like that of a monster. “Caleb, get out. Please!” With superhuman effort, he made himself retreat to the door. “I’d ask you to draw me a bath—a very cold one—but I don’t trust myself to stay in the same house with you that long.” He flung the door closed behind him and went into his bedroom. Pearl had drawn the drapes and turned on the lamp beside his bed. Desire, to the point of agony, consumed him. He had to get out of here but his cock made the front of his trousers protrude like a horn. He couldn’t go out in public in this condition. After yanking open the front of his trousers, he braced one hand against the dresser and grasped his bare erection. Seeing Pearl in the tub had made him almost as wet as that water. Using his own fluid as lubrication, he rubbed himself with savage, punishing strokes. Damn her! Damn her for looking so desirable and being so chaste. Each thought made him stroke faster and harder. If his cock weren’t so hard, he might be in danger of injuring himself. His hand rocked the heavy dresser, making it thump against the wall and rattle the glass prisms hanging from the lamp. The racket only urged him on. If only he and Pearl could rock his bed like this. As usual, she was blameless. She’d accidentally fallen asleep in his bed, the bathroom lock had failed… It would be easier to get angry at her for purposely teasing him. Well, he was sure as hell angry about something but what? Damn society! Because this wasn’t her fault. If Oyster Island would accept them as a married couple, he’d be in that bathtub with her right now, fucking her sweet little pussy instead of his hand. As predicted, it didn’t take him long to come. He reached for the wastebasket, shooting his semen inside. After he’d spent himself and stuffed his sated organ back into his trousers, he was relieved to find some of the anger had gone with it. His shoulders heaved as he took a shuddering breath. They couldn’t go on like this. Pearl might as well have married Jimmy after all. He was destined to lose her one way or another. She appeared in the doorway dressed in a bathrobe, her face dewy and damp from her bath.
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“Are you all right?” she asked. “I heard the furniture rattling.” “I’m going out,” he replied. They both looked at the wastebasket at the same time. “I’m afraid I made a mess.”
***** Caleb walked briskly toward the Sapphire Crab. He was grateful for the cool fall breeze tonight and had already begun wearing his fedora, instead of the boater, for the change of season. The smell of sea salt cleared his head and the chill cooled off his body. Boats in the harbor creaked from being jostled by the restless sea, making an eerie sound. Try as he might, though, he couldn’t chase away the image of hurt he’d seen in Pearl’s eyes when he left. No matter how hard he tried to be good, he seemed to bring nothing but shame into her life. It had to stop. He didn’t have any answers yet but maybe his brother and a stiff drink could get his mind off his troubles for a while. When he approached the entrance to the Sapphire Crab, he stared at the segregation signs out front. This time, anger sizzled down each nerve ending. Why couldn’t he marry Pearl and eat with her in this restaurant? For the first time in his life, he hated Oyster Island. If it weren’t for society and its stupid rules, he’d be home in bed with her right now instead of here, looking for a fight. When he stepped inside the restaurant, he just stood at the door and blinked. For the first time in his life, it didn’t feel like home to him. It was too noisy and too busy. A busboy almost stepped on his foot and somewhere in back a glass shattered. He’d rather hear Pearl play the piano. “Caleb, over here!” Caleb followed his brother’s voice through the smoky air and sat across from him in a booth near the window. “You looked pretty lost,” Henry commented. “Are you all right?” Betty Lewes, the restaurant owner’s daughter, gave him a big smile. “What would you like? Tonight’s special is meat loaf.” “I already ate,” he replied. “Just get me a Scotch.” Henry studied him over his glass of beer. “You only drink Scotch when you’re upset. Are you having trouble with your new housekeeper?” Caleb frowned. “Of course not. Why would you say that?” “Because you spend even less time at home than you did before and you look angry enough to chew oyster shells.” Henry leaned closer. “I thought your new situation would have the opposite effect on you.” When Betty brought him his drink, he took a big swallow but the numbing burn didn’t erase his brother’s disturbing suggestion.
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“What are you getting at?” Henry leaned even closer. “Come on, Caleb. Do you think I’m stupid? I know you’ve got something going on with that little colored gal.” Caleb’s face burned as he looked around. “Keep your voice down. Do you realize what’s at stake?” “Of course I do,” Henry replied, “and I suggest you get a new housekeeper. I looked at the latest inventory records today and they’re a mess. You can’t run Rockfield’s properly in the shape you’re in.” Caleb paused, needing to confide in someone about this maddening confusion but afraid to do it. If he couldn’t trust his own brother, though, who could he trust? “It’s not what you think,” he said. “She acts like a proper lady.” His brother nodded slowly in understanding. “So that’s the problem. She’s not…producing.” “You make her sound like a milk cow. I have feelings for her. I wish—” “Good Lord, it’s worse than I thought.” Henry shook his head and then glared at Caleb. “Get over those feelings, fast, or you’re going to have more problems than you know what to do with.” This outing was proving to be even more depressing than being at home, Caleb thought as he hung his head and rubbed his forehead. How could Pearl make him feel so wonderful and horrible at the same time? When they’d made love on the island, he’d felt complete. Now there were a bunch of pieces missing and Henry was right. He couldn’t go on this way. Betty came over and rested her hand on his arm. Caleb realized she was bending extra low to expose her generous cleavage. “Can I get you fellows anything else?” she asked. When they shook their heads, she left the check on their table. Henry shot Caleb a knowing look. “Why don’t you let her satisfy your needs? She looks more than willing. Hell, she’s wanted to marry you for years.” Caleb watched her walk away. Maybe his brother was right. He could easily make Betty his lover and satisfy his needs as long as her father, his biggest customer, never found out. Pearl didn’t have to know but if she ever found out, it would hurt her badly. Of course, he hadn’t made any romantic commitment to Pearl. She only wanted to be his housekeeper. Nevertheless, being with another woman would violate something sacred and he just couldn’t do it. After a time or two, he doubted he could continue to get hard for Betty anyway. She would be a body to him. Nothing more. And not the silky, creamy-sweet coffee body he needed so much. How could he live the life of a monk for years and now be unable to live without sex? It didn’t make any sense. Pearl’s passion must have changed him.
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“You’re considering it, aren’t you?” Henry asked. “Go on. Ask her for a date. You might even get lucky with her later tonight.” It was out of the question, Caleb decided, but it had given him an idea. If it worked, he might be able to get Pearl back into his bed after all. Maybe then he’d be able to think clearly and run his business properly before he made a complete mess of it. Henry tapped him with his foot under the table. “Look sharp. The mayor is coming this way.” Wonderful. Caleb wished he’d taken refuge in his office tonight instead. The mayor had a drink in one hand and a newspaper in the other. “Caleb Rockfield, I’m glad you’re here. I need to talk to you.” Henry slid across his booth seat toward the window to make room for him. “Mayor Carter, won’t you join us?” The older man eased his bulk into the seat and shoved a newspaper beneath Caleb’s nose. “Have you seen this?” Caleb nodded. He skimmed the paper every morning but today he couldn’t recall any of it. If nothing had been important enough to remember, why was the mayor’s face so red? The man’s short finger pointed to one of the headlines. “Negro strike gets out of hand in Cambridge, Maryland,” Caleb read out loud. He remembered the title but hadn’t read the article. Cambridge was across the Chesapeake Bay and not his concern. “We read about that,” Henry supplied. “Didn’t some colored workers at a crabmeat picking plant go on strike from a wage cut?” Mayor Carter slapped the paper on the table. “Yes, and a couple of them got into a scuffle with management. Who knows where that would have ended up if not for the Klan.” The Klan? Caleb’s Scotch burned his stomach. Maybe he should have taken the time to read that article after all. He grasped his glass with both hands to prevent his hands from trembling. The mayor had a savage look in his eyes tonight that raised the hairs on the back of his neck. “Well, luckily we don’t have those troubles here,” Caleb said slowly. “The workers are happy and the harvest is so good I wouldn’t dream of cutting the wages.” “What if the harvest is bad next year?” Mayor Carter jabbed his finger into the wooden tabletop as he made his point. “What then?” Henry’s worried gaze shifted over his beer glass from one man to the other. Caleb shook his head. “I think you’re overreacting, Mayor. If some white workers had had a little scuffle with white managers, no one would think a thing of it.” His brother kicked him under the table again. Mayor Carter stood, donned his hat with authority and grabbed his paper.
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“Well, I’m not taking this lightly. It’s my duty to protect this town and its businesses.” He glared at Caleb. “I’ll expect you to be more supportive when I put together a plan of action.” “A plan of action?” Caleb asked Henry after the man left. “What the hell did he mean by that?” Henry’s brow looked creased and grim. “It sounds to me like he plans to bring the Klan to Oyster Island.” Caleb gulped more Scotch at once than he should have. “That’ll never happen.” “It could and you know it. He’s probably a Klan member himself already.” Henry’s eyes glittered with emotion as he drained his beer and set down the glass. “But you need to at least pretend to be supportive. I can’t believe how rude you were to him just now.” Caleb grabbed the paper napkin next to his place setting and tore it to shreds. “The man makes me sick.” Henry put some money on the table and stood up. “You might want to consider getting another housekeeper and adjusting your attitude. I wouldn’t want anything to happen to you or Rockfield’s. Our daddy built that company, you know.” “I know.” His brother squeezed his arm. “Take care and go easy on that Scotch.” After he left, Caleb stared at the table and bits of napkin he’d shredded. Where was all this anger coming from? Was it sexual frustration, the mayor or both? Henry was right. He needed to pull himself together before he lost everything. Even though he still had Rockfield’s, it was now painfully clear he wasn’t the real king of Oyster Island. He never was.
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Chapter Sixteen When Caleb walked into his house a few days later, Pearl rushed to the door. She wasn’t used to wearing a full-length skirt so she almost tripped over the rug. Even though he’d hardly been home since the night he’d seen her in the bathtub, her nerves still tingled when she looked at him. She’d fixed the stupid bathroom lock herself, resolving never to be so careless again. Never before had she witnessed someone so tortured by desire. It had torn her inside to hear him rattling the furniture and getting his pleasure himself instead of with her. Satisfying herself in that tub had been wrong. Not as wrong as sharing her body with Caleb but certainly not the way a proper housekeeper should behave. Upon seeing her engorged nipples and swollen labia, he must have known what she’d been doing. What if he’d walked in a few moments earlier? She vowed not to make that mistake again. Her hungry body would have to starve. If only she could give him what he wanted. Unfortunately she wouldn’t be able to live with herself if she did. He looked at her from head to toe. “Pearl, what the hell are you wearing?” She ran a hand over the thick, gray fabric. “I found some old drapery material in the attic and decided to put together an outfit that wouldn’t tempt you so much.” When he threw his head back and laughed, she nearly cried for joy. He hadn’t been happy enough to laugh like that since she’d moved in. “You never stop surprising me,” he told her. “Now I insist on getting you at least one new dress.” The sound of voices spilled from the dining room. She didn’t enjoy sharing the house with others but things hadn’t been very comfortable between the two of them. Maybe having guests would help ease the tension. He frowned as he took off his jacket. “Who’s here?” She took his things and hung them on the coat tree by the door. “Your wife’s sister and husband stopped by for a short visit.” “You’re kidding me.” He smoothed down his hair. “I haven’t seen them in years.” From the tone of his voice, he didn’t want to see them now either. “I have to go to the kitchen and check on the pork chops,” she told him. “Dinner will be served shortly.” Dinner passed slowly as Pearl concentrated on doing a good job. Being a housekeeper alone with Caleb had been one thing. Now she was being judged by
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strangers. Thank goodness she’d learned the job growing up. All she had to struggle with here was hiding her feelings for Caleb. Even though she’d always tried to be a proper housekeeper, she and Caleb had been closer than they should have. A real housekeeper and her master wouldn’t have laughed at the door just now about her clothes like two intimate friends. She wasn’t prepared for the way Mrs. Abbott stared down her large, hooked nose at her. Her gaunt-looking husband was worse because he looked right through her as if she weren’t even there. She’d experienced this before, of course, from the guests she and her mother had served in Annapolis. If it hadn’t bothered her then, why did it disturb her so much now? Had Caleb really changed her so much? The chandelier light made the china plates and silver gleam against the white tablecloth on a table fit for royalty. It was strange to watch him eat at the table with other white people while she stood in the corner, waiting to see if they needed anything. She’d never felt so different from him before. It was as if she were looking at him through the window of another world, so close but so out of reach. The memory of his pale cock thrusting into her dark folds seemed so impossible now she wondered if it had really happened. “Girl!” The sound of fingers snapping in annoyance pulled Pearl out of her thoughts. “For the third time, I would like more gravy.” “Yes. Yes, ma’am.” Pearl almost tripped on her skirts and fell on her face as she rushed to do the woman’s bidding. “Honestly, Caleb,” Elizabeth Abbott said. “I realize you’re in the boondocks here but surely you could find a better housekeeper. She’s hardly competent.” Caleb’s jaw twitched. He looked at Pearl from across the table, his expression just as pained from this ordeal as she felt inside. Seeing his sympathy made her feel even worse. Part of her wanted to run into the kitchen and stay there. “You need a wife to keep her in line,” Mrs. Abbott continued. “Why haven’t you remarried? Gertrude has been gone for some years now.” Pearl’s heart almost stopped when she thought of Caleb bringing a wife into this house. They’d talked so much about her marrying Jimmy, she’d never even considered the possibility of his marrying. Acting proper around him was one thing. Losing him to another woman would be another thing altogether. Hearing him make love to another woman in the bed that should be hers would kill her. Pearl clasped her hands together so hard they hurt as she waited to hear his reply. Caleb shrugged. “I don’t need a wife. I’m happy as I am.”
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She knew he wasn’t happy but his words nearly made her swoon with relief. Realizing the woman seated before her was just a white version of sour Aunt Wilma gave her strength too. “I’ve been a housekeeper since I was a child.” Pearl grabbed the half-empty gravy tureen. “And I can see there’s plenty of gravy here. Would you like me to pour it for you?” The woman’s head bobbed like a flustered chicken’s. “Well, I suppose so.” Amusement glittered in Caleb’s blue eyes as he leaned back in his chair. He was enjoying this! Well, Pearl would give him a show. She held the gravy tureen higher than she should have but not high enough to splatter the gravy. The rich scent of it filled the air. Mrs. Abbott watched the brown stream, her face glazed with shock. “Is that enough gravy?” Pearl asked sweetly. “Quite! Caleb, this girl should be fired at once. Gertrude never would have tolerated this.” Caleb cleared his throat. “Pearl, can I see you in the kitchen a moment?” This was beyond humiliating, she thought as she followed him to the kitchen. “I’m sorry but she was so rude to me.” Pearl folded her arms. “Go ahead and punish me if you must.” A ball of heat shot through her belly when he stood close behind her, his hard cock pressing against her, and whispered close to her ear. “Don’t tempt me,” he said. “I ought to lift that ridiculous, long skirt and spank your bare bottom.” The thought of it made each muscle in her pussy tighten almost to the point of pain. “I had to at least pretend to reprimand you or I’d never hear the end of it.” Caleb laughed into his hand to muffle it. “Did you see the look on her face?” She laughed into her hands too. “She did ask for more gravy.” Caleb bent over, laughing even more. “If it were me, I would have poured the whole damn thing in her lap.” “Caleb, you’re awful.” She touched his shoulder, electrified by the warmth coming through the cotton shirt. With no warning, he grasped her shoulders and kissed her hard. Her mouth melted under his, needing him with desperate urgency. When he pulled back, his eyes glittered with emotion. She knew she should object to the kiss but being close to him again sent joy soaring through her veins. With guests in the house, at least she was safe knowing the kiss could go no further. “Shall I play the piano for your guests?” she asked, making her voice innocent on purpose. Caleb’s jovial expression turned sad. “I wish you could, honey, but I don’t think it would be wise.”
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“I’ve been listening to your radio on nights when you’re out and learning the songs.” A mixture of sadness and wonder filled his face. “Have you? I-I’m sorry I missed it.” He looked as if he were about to kiss her again so she nudged his arm. “Come on,” she said, “before they look for us.” As they returned to the dining room, warmth filled Pearl’s chest from the shared laughter and kiss. Was denying their love really the right thing to do? Was it right to miss out on so much joy? No one ever said being a lady was easy. Each day she kept her distance from Caleb proved hard and harder. She wasn’t sure how much longer she could continue this.
***** Two nights later, Caleb sat at his dining room table with the Abbotts again, eating the crab bisque Pearl had made. Elizabeth fanned herself from the Indian summer heat. Knowing his tiresome guests were leaving tomorrow helped him endure another meal with them. More importantly, it was time to enact his plan. If it worked, Pearl would be back in his bed by sunrise. He hated hurting her but he’d also seen the pain in her eyes when he’d kissed her. She missed him as much as he missed her. This was for her own good. Pearl cleared away their empty soup bowls. “Will there be anything else while we wait for the main course?” He looked at her from across the table, his eyes telling her he wanted a lot more than food. At least she’d forgone the long skirt and worn her most attractive dress, the blue one. Forced to stay home to entertain his guests, he couldn’t escape temptation by going out. At least he’d gotten some reprieve when he’d taken the Abbotts to the Sapphire Crab the night before. Mrs. Abbott sniffed as if she smelled something bad. “Caleb, your girl is more competent this evening but now she’s putting on airs.” Caleb leaned back in his chair. “I suppose I’ll have to punish her again.” What would Mrs. Abbott say if he enacted the “punishment” across the dining room table? He quickly lifted his arm to muffle his gasp of laughter. Luckily the tablecloth hid the bulge in his pants because thinking of Pearl’s bare cheeks in his hands made him harder than concrete. A restless wind blew outside the open window, which faced the street, scattering some dried leaves across the sidewalk. In the distance, thunder rumbled. “I believe a storm is brewing,” Mr. Abbott commented as he sucked his teeth. Pearl served the roast beef with green beans and potatoes. After they’d eaten for a while, Caleb spoke while she refilled their water glasses from a glass pitcher.
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“I’ve been thinking about what you said, Elizabeth.” Caleb watched Pearl’s expression as he spoke. “Maybe I should remarry.” Alarm flashed in Pearl’s eyes and her hand shook. Caleb winced inside, hating himself for putting her through this. This will be over soon, honey. Trust me. The older woman smiled with approval. “Excellent. That young lady, Betty, at the restaurant had her eye on you all night. It’s unseemly of her to be a waitress but if she stands to inherit the restaurant, she’s a good enough match for you.” Caleb dabbed his mouth with a napkin. “She’s the daughter of my best customer too. You’ve convinced me. I’ll court her.” Elizabeth Abbott reached across the table and patted his hand. “We should have visited you sooner.” “If everything goes well,” Caleb said as he carefully set down his napkin, “Betty Lewes will be my wife in time for the holidays.” A small sound escaped Pearl’s throat as she rushed into the kitchen with water sloshing from the pitcher she carried. The sound of shattering glass sent Caleb’s heart into his throat. He almost knocked over his chair in his haste to get to her. “I’ll take care of this,” he told the stunned-looking Abbotts. He walked into the kitchen to see Pearl’s face wet with tears, her mouth trembling and shards of glass on the tile floor. Hell! What had he done? The pain in her eyes made him wish he could undo his miserable plan. Now that he’d gone this far, though, he needed to see it through. “We’ll talk upstairs in my room,” he told her.
***** Pearl ran upstairs with her hand over her mouth as thunder from the storm grew louder. Her chest felt as if one of those shards of glass had lodged in it. When Caleb ushered her into his bedroom and locked the door, it reminded her of their trysts in the shucking room. How could he do this to her! She clenched her hands into fists and took a breath so deep it filled her lungs. “I cannot live in this house with you and a…a wife.” Caleb’s face was solemn and unreadable in the dim, stormy light. “And I can’t keep living with this temptation. I’m a man and I have needs.” Pearl folded her arms. “I don’t understand. You told me you lived like a monk for years after your wife died.” “That was before I met you.” He smacked the nearest bed post with an open hand. “It’s not just about sex, Pearl. Believe it or not, I could live without that. You won’t even let me hold you, kiss you or love you.”
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“I explained my reasons,” she said, “and I-I don’t want you to marry anyone else. Please, Caleb.” His eyes flashed with blue fire as he glared at her. “You can’t have it both ways, honey.” She walked to the window and looked out at the leaden sky. Drops of rain speckled the roof of the back porch below and the wind pulled the river into white-capped peaks. Despite the furor outside, she’d never felt more dead inside. “I suppose I need to find another job and place to live,” she said to the windowpanes. “I could find another housekeeping position for you,” he replied from across the room. As she nodded and leaned her forehead against the glass, more tears slipped down her cheeks. Caleb cursed under his breath. Moments later, he came up behind her. Feeling his warm hands on her shoulders and his breath on her neck tugged at the knots she’d tied so carefully over the last few weeks. “I don’t want to marry Betty,” he told her. “I want you. I’ve always wanted you, Pearl.” She’d once said those same words to him when Jimmy was in her life. Lightning flashed, illuminating the reflection of their faces in the window—black and light. “Why does it have to be this way?” she asked. “Because we can’t change society. Are we going to work around it or are we going to let it ruin our lives?” He sighed. “We only have this lifetime, Pearl, and it’s short.” Would Mama understand? She loved him and that made it all right, didn’t it? The circumstances weren’t their fault. When she turned to face him, he cupped her chin in his strong hand. “You know I’d marry you if I could.” She squeezed her eyes shut as she nodded. “I know.” “Then let’s stop this madness,” he whispered in her ear. “Let me love you again.” Emotion welled up inside her like the stormy sea outside, flooding all the walls she’d built. To her surprise, she grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled it open, sending several buttons to the floor. Her hands devoured the hot, bare skin of his chest. “I missed this so much,” she cried. Lightning forked across the sky. “Not as much as I.” He pulled out her hairpins, sending them to the floor to join his buttons. When his mouth locked onto hers, claiming her fully at last, her knees gave out. The texture of his hair under her fingers and the slickness of his tongue inside her mouth flooded her senses. Even the roughness of his moustache against her face sent juices flooding from her cunt.
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Slowly, they sank to the padded rug together. We won’t even make it to the bed, she thought. He ripped the front of her dress open and tugged down her bra straps. Her nipples jutted out, hard and aching for his mouth. When he sucked and bit down on each one, as if to punish her for denying them pleasure for so long, she moaned and put her hand to her mouth. “Your guests will hear us.” “Not with the storm.” He yanked her dress up and undid her garters. As she helped him pull off her shoes, panties and stockings, her pussy throbbed with the insistent pulse beating inside her. While rain gushed against the windows, the insides of her thighs grew hotter and damper by the moment, hungry for Caleb’s fingers and cock. Her hands trembled as she reached for the front of his trousers and pulled out his magnificent hardness. She’d watched him take pleasure by his own hand too many times. It was her turn. She swirled the pearly cream at the tip with her finger and clasped the base of the shaft. “This cock is mine,” she said, barely recognizing the ferocious lust in her voice. “No other woman will have you.” “No other,” he agreed, smiling as he thrust his hips against her hand. Next, her frantic fingers tugged his suspenders down and pulled off his pants and shoes until all he wore was a shirt open in front. “Promise me you won’t marry anyone else. Promise me, Caleb!” He bathed her in his blue, fiery gaze. “I promise.” After he tugged off her dress and bra, leaving her completely nude, she pressed her mouth to his neck and chest, feasting on the scent and taste of him—clean and breezy laced with musky arousal. Thunder rumbled, vibrating the floor and adding to the sweet urgency building inside her pussy. Caleb’s pale hands stroked her body lovingly and possessively—her arms, her legs and her belly. She tugged his hand to her cunt where she needed him most. When he thrust a finger into her depths, her head fell back with pleasure. Oh this felt so sweet, so right. Her usual inhibitions were gone as if the storm had blown them away. Would she regret this tomorrow? For once, she didn’t care. Pearl watched, breathless, as Caleb’s finger swirled around her clitoris and into her slick depths with expert precision. Her hand closed around the end of his cock, stroking the swollen head. The force of their attraction pressed around them with the strength of iron, making her wonder how they’d managed to fight it off this long. She didn’t argue when he pushed her shoulders to the floor, sheathed himself with a condom and spread her legs wide with both hands. As he leaned over her, about to enter her, she saw such love and relief in his eyes her heart felt as melted as her body.
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“I’m yours, Pearl,” he told her as his searing-hot erection slid inside her. “I’ll always be yours.” Her hips cradled his and her swollen breasts pressed against his chest as they rocked together. He caressed her face and kissed her as their bodies merged with blessed relief. Their hearts thundered together so violently she hardly noticed the raging storm going on outside. As his short, panting breaths cooled the perspiration on her cheek, she realized keeping him away so long had been a terrible mistake. This was right. This was where they belonged. “It’s a good thing we didn’t try the bed,” Caleb said. “The rocking would’ve made a terrible racket.” The thought of rocking his bed made her nipples tighten to painfully swollen peaks. He slid his hand under her back and rolled her onto her side as thunder rattled the windowpanes. He lifted her top leg up under the knee and she watched his slick shaft gliding in and out of her body. “That’s such a beautiful sight I never get tired of watching it,” he told her. A tiny shudder went through her as her pussy swelled even tighter. “Faster, Caleb.” He gripped her ass from the back and she gasped when he spanked her. “What was that for?” she asked as lightning filled the dark room with sudden brilliance. “For holding out on me.” The growl in his throat blended into the next clap of thunder. She shifted her weight until she was on top of him. “Wasn’t I worth the wait?” Caleb replied by digging his fingers into the flesh of her hips and pushing her onto his cock with the faster rhythm she’d begged for. With no warning, he flipped her down until he was on top again, claiming her with such deep strokes she couldn’t help moaning with each breath. While his shirt tickled her belly, hot cream trickled from their thrusts, tensing the muscles in her body. “C-Caleb, I’m going to come soon.” “You’re damn right you will.” He breathed hard, his face damp with sweat. “I’ll scream,” she muttered. “They’ll hear me.” He nodded as a lock of damp hair fell across his forehead. “I’ve been timing this storm. Don’t come until I tell you to.” Her thighs trembled with her mounting pleasure. “I don’t think I’ll be able to control—” When hot-blue lightning flashed through the room, she nearly felt the electricity sizzle every nerve ending. “Now, Pearl! Now!” She grabbed fistfuls of his shirt as she ground her hips against his, taking his long cock even deeper inside. The sound of tearing fabric competed with the rain outside. As
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one blinding spasm after another ripped through her a couple of seconds later, she screamed against the roar of thunder Caleb had perfectly timed. Barely a moment later, Caleb’s hot semen spilled deep inside her pussy, filling the condom. They lay side by side on the rug afterward, their bodies as spent as the retreating storm. Caleb’s hand grasped hers. “Thank you,” he said. “I think I can accept chastity now.” She rolled to her side and stroked his damp chest. “I can’t.” He raised an eyebrow. “What are you saying?” “I’m saying I want this, all of this, with you from now on,” she replied. “I must be dreaming.” Caleb leaned up on one elbow and grinned. “What changed your mind?” “Realizing I might lose you.” When he winced, she asked him what was wrong. “I have a confession to make,” he admitted. “I never intended to marry Betty Lewes.” Relief, quickly followed by anger, coursed through her. She punched him in the shoulder. “What? You put me through that for nothing?” “I didn’t know how else to make you see that we belong together,” he told her. “Do you regret making love?” Pearl sighed and shook her head. “You said life is short. I guess I’d never thought about it that way before.” His pale gaze locked onto hers. “Does this mean we’re done with the rules?” “On one condition. Treat me like a wife, not your whore.” He pressed a gentle kiss to her mouth. “In my heart, you are my wife, Pearl.” She nodded as mixed emotions swirled through her sated limbs. Was getting Caleb back worth letting down Mama? She hoped so. No, she would make it so.
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hapter Seventeen When Caleb woke up the morning after next, he blinked at the unusual warmth nestling next to him. Was he dreaming? He opened his eyes, delighted to see Pearl’s face on his pillow. She kissed him gently. “Good morning, Caleb.” “Waking up with you in my bed is a dream come true.” He let out a deep sigh of contentment, enjoying the fact they were both naked beneath the crisp cotton sheets. “I’m glad our guests left yesterday.” Pearl ran a hand lazily across his chest. “I almost lost my composure when Mrs. Abbott asked you if you’d heard a scream during the storm.” “Do you think she believed me when I said my housekeeper is afraid of storms?” He threw his head back and laughed. “I should have showed her my ripped shirt and told her the truth about putting my cock in you and making you come.” Discussing his penis made it harden and protrude against the sheet. They’d christened his bed last night and slept in the nude afterward. His Pearl was back—wet, hot and passionate. He reached down to the soft folds of her cleft, delighted to feel how moist it was. Her hand clasped his cock in return. He grabbed a condom from the nightstand, reminding himself to buy more. Turning to his side, he reached for her waist. “I want you.” The sheet dipped below one breast, exposing a swollen, dark nipple he couldn’t resist teasing with his fingers. She moaned and arched her back. “Don’t you have to go to work?” Caleb glanced at the clock on the nightstand. “Eventually.” Moving over her, he slid his aching shaft inside her welcoming depths. Instead of the frantic, deep thrusts he’d pummeled her with during the storm, he moved slowly, filling her body with his love. She moved with him as if their bodies had been made for each other. While he moved faster, he kissed her eyelids and her delicate cheekbones, swearing he’d never been as grateful for anything as this beautiful gift. Her earthy, floral scent pulled him deeper into her slippery channel as her warm, round breasts pushed against his chest. The bed creaked under their passion. How nice not to have to worry about being overheard by anyone. They were building a life together right here under the privacy of his roof. A life no one could take away. He only wished it hadn’t taken them so long to get to this point. More than that, he wished he hadn’t had to hurt her by threatening to marry someone else. 166
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Pearl’s back arched and her brow glowed with perspiration. Her soft pussy ground harder against his cock, seeking pressure against her clitoris, and her wetness coated the front of his balls, making them draw up and tighten. As he slid his arms under her back, he gave her everything she needed and more. When her moment came, Caleb swallowed her scream with a kiss. It went straight to his balls, squeezing them with liquid fire he couldn’t stop if he wanted to. Mindless with need, he pumped into her swollen pussy until he exploded inside her. He rolled off her, feeling weak as a newborn foal. “Even though you didn’t scratch or rip anything this time, I’m still tired enough to sleep a few more hours.” He took her hand. “At this rate, I won’t get any work done.” She grinned as she sat up and nudged him in the side. “Get up. I’ll fix breakfast.” Caleb reached up to brush her soft, damp hair back from her face. “I’m so glad you changed your mind about this and…us.” When worry flickered in her green eyes, he sat up. Don’t regret it! We’ve only just begun. “Pearl, are you happy?” He caressed the side of her face. “No regrets?” She glanced down for a moment but when she looked back at him, her face was serene and resolute. “No regrets, Caleb.” He stretched with contentment. Life had never been more perfect. The oyster industry and even the troublesome mayor seemed hundreds of miles away.
***** A week later, Pearl shivered from the autumn chill as she dusted in Caleb’s bedroom—their bedroom now. Since the two of them had become so close, the house felt empty during the workdays. At least he came home at night now. They spent their evenings eating dinners she cooked, sitting at the piano and making love. She even made sure they had oysters for appetizers every night. As she moved, the lacy step-in panties Caleb had bought her caressed her skin. Sheer enough to see through, they weren’t very practical but they made her feel beautiful. So did the long-sleeved dress he’d bought for her. The thick, soft material was the color of reddish-brown autumn leaves. It clung to her hips and flared out over her calves. It was too nice to work in but she couldn’t resist wearing it on this cold morning. She’d begged him to deduct these purchases from her pay but he refused. The man was every bit as stubborn as she was. Her cunt stayed deliciously sore almost all the time. Every step and movement she took while cleaning reminded her of how perfect his cock felt inside her. The fast, urgent thrusts during the times they couldn’t get enough of each other were as wonderful as the slow, gentle strokes that expressed their love. She’d memorized every scent, texture and sound of Caleb’s body. He was her man. If only he could be her husband in every way. 167
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When she opened his top dresser drawer to put away his clean socks, coloring the air with the aroma of cedar, she noticed something hard tucked beneath the socks. She and Caleb were so close she didn’t think he’d mind if she explored. She pulled out the hard, square object, realizing it was a framed picture. It almost dropped out of her hands when she realized it was a picture of Caleb on his wedding day. Her fingers trembled as she brought it to the window to see it better. He looked much younger, his hair completely black, but his serious expression was familiar. Then she studied the woman seated in front of him, the woman in a white dress and veil. His dead wife… Gertrude was almost as pale as her dress in every way. Pearl guessed she was blueeyed and blonde from the black and white photograph. She couldn’t be more different from Pearl. Her lips were thinner and her hair was smooth and straight where Pearl’s was thick and wavy. How could Caleb have chosen such opposite women? Had he loved his wife? Looking out at the leaden sea and back to the picture, she wondered what it would be like to sit in that chair and be Caleb’s bride. To wear the dress, veil and ring. To be acknowledged by society as a legal, proper spouse. To show the entire world how much they loved each other. A heavy weight filled her chest as she put herself into that picture. How ridiculous she would look sitting there in a wedding dress next to a white man. The sight of such a picture would probably inspire an angry mob to form. At the very least, people would throw tomatoes at it or point at it and laugh. Unable to look at it a moment longer, she tucked it back in the drawer where she’d found it. She was thankful Caleb didn’t have any pictures of his wife on display in the house and she never wanted to see this one again. What they had was enough, she told herself. So why didn’t that aching, empty spot inside her chest go away? Even the piano couldn’t always fill it. I need to get out of this house. Her family had not come to visit after that first time. For some reason, she needed to see them. Caleb got out and interacted with the world every day and she needed to as well. Outside, the autumn breeze from the water, laced with the scent of fish, buffeted her face as she walked to the oyster plant. It had been weeks since she’d been there. Stepping inside the doors was like walking back into an old world. The clatter of oysters being shoveled into baskets and thrown across the shucking tables sounded as loud as warfare after being in Caleb’s quiet, empty house. Had she really worked here? She clutched her hand to the collar of her coat, wondering how she’d done it.
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It was even worse now that it was colder. The cloakroom was jammed with coats. Despite the oil-burning stove, dampness rolled in from the open unloading dock door and seemed to hover like a cloud above the piles of wet, discarded oyster shells. Caleb hadn’t just given her love. He’d given her life back. Not until this moment did she realize just how lucky she was to be a housekeeper again. She walked toward her old workstation where a new man had taken her place. Jimmy waved at her, apparently carrying no grudge. Leroy pulled her into a fierce hug. “How you doin’, cousin? You look good.” “Fine. I thought I’d come to visit.” But when she looked at the oysters piled up on his table, she realized taking his time would also take his money. Sadie grabbed her arm. The girl smiled so wide Pearl had barely recognized her. “Pearl! Guess what? I’m getting married!” Pearl’s jaw hung open. “You’re what?” Sadie held out her hand, displaying a thin silver band on her ring finger. “Buck asked me a couple of days ago.” Pearl inspected the ring and gave her cousin a hug. “Oh, Sadie. I’m so happy for you.” “The wedding is less than a week away. Say you’ll come.” “Of course I will,” Pearl replied. Wilma’s greeting was more subdued than the others. “Well, Miss High and Mighty decided to pay us a visit.” Pearl took a fortifying breath, thinking Elizabeth Abbott wasn’t so bad after all compared to her aunt. “How are you, Aunt Wilma?” she asked politely. “Wore out.” “How’s Uncle Charlie?” Pearl asked next. Wilma knifed an oyster and spread it open. “The cold, damp weather is still setting him back. He mostly sleeps by the fire now.” “I’m sorry to hear that,” Pearl said. “I’ll try to visit him.” “That’s a mighty fancy dress you got on. You got any extra money with you?” Wilma asked. Pearl nodded and pulled an envelope from her dress pocket, wishing she’d worn something else even if it was cold out. After the older woman tucked it into her bodice, she pointed to her oysters. “Thank you. As you can see, I’m too busy for chitchat. Some of us got to work hard for a living.” Pearl opened her mouth to reply but stopped herself. It wasn’t worth it. She wasn’t prepared for the other woman to look her up and down with a knowing leer.
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“I see you been workin’ hard too, on your back,” Wilma said. “You better hope he don’t get tired of you.” How does she know? Heat roared through Pearl’s cheeks. Would everyone know by looking at her that she slept with her boss? This was exactly what she’d hoped to avoid by being celibate. Shame. The last time Aunt Wilma had made her innuendoes Pearl had been able to hold her head high. Now she felt exactly like what she was—a whore.
***** As Caleb walked through the plant, he caught sight of Pearl walking out. He headed to the door but she slipped through before he could reach her. The tense line of her lips worried him. He glanced back at her aunt who looked extra sour today. The two of them must have argued. He’d find out what was the matter at home where all these people weren’t watching. In fact, he might fuck Pearl in the kitchen first. Whatever was on her mind would disappear in the midst of their passion. His cock felt pleasantly sore inside his trousers. Who needed marriage anyway? He had everything he needed. The cold dampness made him shiver. All the coffee he’d drunk this morning to keep warm had caught up with him. He headed upstairs to the men’s bathroom the office personnel used but it was occupied. Unable to wait, he went back downstairs to the one the shuckers used. He hadn’t used it in years. The sight that greeted him pulled his jaw to his chest. It was in complete disrepair. There was dirt everywhere, no soap, no towels and at least two toilets looked clogged. Was this filthy hole really part of his plant? Why hadn’t he checked the conditions? There was no sign outside the door saying “colored only” but there might as well be. The workers passing in and out even gave him strange looks as if he didn’t belong there. He did his business and washed his hands only to realize there was no hot water either. The cracked mirror showed every bit of the self-disgust he felt inside written on his face. The door banged on his way out. “Murdock!” he called out to the floor supervisor standing several yards away. “Come to my office. Now.” In his office, Caleb sat behind his desk while the other man stood in front of it. Angry heat burned across his face and neck but he knew he had to handle this carefully. “The men’s bathroom downstairs is a shambles,” Caleb said. Bill Murdock wrinkled his large nose. “You actually went in there?” Caleb nodded. “The facilities—all of the facilities—are your responsibility. I want that bathroom repaired and restocked by the end of tomorrow.” 170
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The other man shrugged and looked baffled. “But that’s the coloreds’ bathroom. They don’t need anything better.” Caleb’s jaw twitched painfully as he held back his opinion of Murdock’s bigotry. “All of the bathrooms in this plant will have the same high standards. Fix it by tomorrow or you no longer work here. Understood?” Murdock took a step back as his face flushed red. “You can’t be serious.” “I am.” Caleb said. He almost hoped the man didn’t comply so he could have an excuse to fire him.
***** Pearl stood at the oven that evening. She’d cooked fish, cornbread and collard greens for dinner, hoping Caleb wouldn’t mind eating what her people enjoyed. The image of his wedding picture coupled with her unsettling conversation with Aunt Wilma made her jumpy inside. If not for the money she’d given to help Uncle Charlie, she was sorry she’d visited the plant. When she heard the front door close, her nerves jumped with the thrill of anticipation instead. She needed to be held after the day she’d had. “I hope you like fish and cornbread and—” Caleb’s mouth covered hers before she could finish. She gasped and shivered with delight when he lifted the back of her striped dress and caressed her thighs. “The food—” she protested. “It’ll keep,” he said as he sucked the side of her neck. When his bare cock brushed her thigh, dragging a hot, sticky trail across her flesh, she moaned. His fingers undid her garters and he pulled down her panties and stockings just enough to bare her backside. Her conversation with Aunt Wilma drifted away as urgent heat radiated from her pussy, making it wet and swollen. “Bend over the oven, honey.” A thrill shot through her chest. By the sound of his voice, he meant to be obeyed. When he’d talked about doing this before, she had no idea how arousing it would be. The edges of the electric oven were warm under her fingers as she inhaled the tantalizing scents of what she’d cooked. Her ass felt bare and exposed as Caleb pulled her dress up around her waist. If Aunt Wilma could see her now… Luckily her thoughts derailed when she heard the familiar sound of unrolling rubber followed by his shaft pushing inside her. She gasped as she struggled to accommodate the long, hard heat filling her so suddenly. His powerful hands gripped her hips as he pumped her with every inch of that wonderful cock. He’d never taken her from behind before and his penis felt longer than ever. Her sensitive pussy lips felt the coarse hairs around his balls as they pounded
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against her. Each stroke penetrated her all the way through, straight to her soul. She moaned a guttural cry with each one. “I’m not hurting you, am I?” he asked. “No,” she whispered, barely able to talk. “Because I could stop.” And he did, pulling completely out of her. “Don’t stop,” she cried. “Fuck me, Caleb.” “What was that? I didn’t hear you.” “Yes you did. Fuck me now!” She reached back for his cock but it slipped out of her fingers. “Damn you.” He chuckled, infuriating her further as he slid his member’s swollen head across her folds. “Is this what you want, honey?” he asked. She answered by thrusting her hips back, desperate to get him inside her again. He only gave her an inch or two so she thrust and thrust, making the oven rock and shake on its four legs. With no warning, he speared his cock all the way inside her again. “Yes!” she cried. He followed that pounding thrust with another and another until one blended into the next. Pearl’s head, weak and dizzy with passion, drooped over the stove. Having Caleb take her this way was like being caught up in a rip current. There was no time to think or breathe. She couldn’t escape even if she wanted to but she definitely didn’t want to… The heat from the oven and steaming food competed with the fire burning in her pussy and bathed her face, drenching it in perspiration. She hung on to both sides of the stove, making it rock with Caleb’s thrusts. The cookware clattered and danced until the bowl of collard greens fell on the floor, shattering. “Leave it,” he ordered before she could react. All too quickly, she yelled hard enough to split her throat in half with her climax as her belly exploded. It echoed around the hard surfaces of the kitchen as aftershocks continued to rock her. She cried out again when Caleb’s cock withdrew and hot semen rained across her backside. She cleaned herself with a nearby towel, pulled her dress skirt back down and grabbed the oven again for support. “You could warn a girl before you do something like that.” He winked at her, cleaned himself and put his cock back into his pants. “You looked so adorable standing there, I couldn’t resist.” “And you shouldn’t have taken the condom off,” she added. “I’m a mess!” “I wanted to see you in the new dress,” Caleb said, “but I suppose it’s a good thing we didn’t muss it up.”
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Now that the tidal wave of passion had passed through, her troubled thoughts returned as she stared at the mess of greens and broken crockery on the floor. Whore. This time she hadn’t even done it in his bed like a respectable woman. He’d pulled down her indecent, see-through panties and taken her from behind in the kitchen. In fact, she’d begged him to fuck her like an animal and all the vulgar words he’d taught her were such second nature to her now they were part of her thoughts. Just thinking about cunts, cocks and fucking made her wetter than rain. Unable to bear the sight of the floor a moment longer, she grabbed the wastebasket and mop. “Go sit in the dining room, Caleb. If dinner can be saved, I’ll serve it.” He took the items out of her hands, set them aside and touched her face. “What’s wrong, honey? You looked upset at the plant today too. Did you have an argument with your aunt?” She pressed her lips together. He knew her too well. “We didn’t argue exactly.” “Then she must have said something.” Caleb pulled her close, holding her hand while he gazed at her with kind blue eyes. She was so lucky to have him. Why ruin it by telling him how she really felt inside? “Sadie is getting married,” she said in the most cheerful voice she could muster. He smiled. “That’s great. You’re not happy for her?” “Of course I am. I guess I’m just a little envious and I found… Never mind.” “Found what?” Pearl took a deep breath. Holding her feelings back from him was even harder than holding back her passion. “I was putting your socks away and came across your wedding picture. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snoop.” He sighed. “If it’s any comfort to you, I didn’t love her. I only married her because I thought I should.” She looked across the room. “I appreciate what we have and I know you care about me. But no matter how hard I try, I can’t help feeling like a whore.” Caleb put his hand on his hip. “Pearl, we’ve been over this before.” “I know. The way Aunt Wilma looked at me today and what she suggested just upset me.” His face looked even more serious than it had in his wedding picture. “Maybe you should stay away from her for a while.” Pearl nodded. “I’m going out,” he announced. She looked at the food she’d worked so hard to cook. “But what about dinner?” “I’m afraid I’m not hungry.” “Don’t leave.” She grabbed his arm. “You look upset too.”
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He shook his head. “Pearl, I’ve tried every way I know how to make you feel special. Every time I see the pain and shame on your face, it kills me that I can’t do a damn thing about it.” Darn Aunt Wilma, Sadie’s engagement and that wedding picture, Pearl thought after he walked out. She had Caleb’s heart. Why wasn’t that enough?
***** The damp, rainy weather the next evening matched Caleb’s mood as he walked to the Sapphire Crab. Murdock hadn’t done a thing about the men’s bathroom today so he’d fired him as promised. “You haven’t heard the last of this!” the other man had yelled, pointing a threatening finger in his face. Caleb promoted a shucker who’d worked at the company for twenty years to take his place, wondering why he hadn’t done it sooner. Just when he’d been about to go home to spend a quiet evening with Pearl, Henry summoned him to this important meeting with the mayor. It couldn’t be good. When he walked inside the restaurant, Betty ushered him to the small private room in the back where several tables had been joined into one large one. The mayor sat with several men he knew, including the restaurant owner, and several he didn’t. His stomach shifted when he eyed the hard-looking strangers. Who were they? But he knew. He could see it in Henry’s cautioning expression as he motioned to the empty seat beside him. The Klan had come to Oyster Island. “Now that we’re all here,” Mayor Carter began, “let’s get started. As I’ve discussed with most of you, I’m concerned about incidents that have happened nearby.” Cambridge was hardly nearby, Caleb thought. “I’ve invited these gentlemen to help us implement our plan of action,” the mayor stated. The room felt especially cold and smelled musty from lack of use. Caleb’s stomach felt queasier with each man Mayor Carter introduced. They were from all over the state and each had a title. Chairs squeaked, punctuating the rain and quiet voices. Although he’d always known the Klan was around, he’d never come face-to-face with it before. He didn’t see why he needed to now either. Oyster Island was a peaceful place but he knew better than to speak up at this meeting. Luckily Bill Murdock was not important enough to be here. “Our members give our organization its strength,” the Klan leader, a heavyset bearded man, said. “The more we work together, the quicker we can deal with problems.”
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By wearing white sheets and burning crosses on people’s lawns? Caleb reached for a cracker from the bowl in the center of the table to settle his stomach. If he had to listen to much more of this, he was afraid he’d get sick. The only drinks provided were glasses of water. This meeting must be more serious than he thought. “Prevention is just as important as reaction,” another man said. “If you join with us, you can draw on the strength of a large organization.” When Tom Lewes nodded, Caleb couldn’t believe how agreeable everyone looked. Was he the only person in this room who thought the Klan was wrong? Sweat broke out across his forehead. “Say we have an incident,” Mayor Carter said. “What should we do?” “Call us,” the leader replied. “We’ll send men here to help you. On the flip side of that, members are expected to help others too when needed. We’re brethren.” The mayor nodded. “That’s a small price to pay for security and peace of mind. Don’t you gentlemen agree?” Caleb’s body and throat froze so he couldn’t answer or nod. Henry shot him another warning look. Let this meeting be over soon, Caleb thought, before I make a scene and lose my daddy’s company. “What about the law?” the mayor asked. “Get your sheriff to join,” the leader replied. “Then you won’t have anything to worry about.” “I’ll do that,” Mayor Carter replied. “What’s the next step?” “We’d need to set up an initiation ceremony so your townspeople can officially join.” The mayor grabbed a cracker and broke it into pieces as he set a date two weeks in advance. “That will give us time to spread the word,” he said. “Gentleman, clear your calendars for this event. That goes without saying.” Sweat now coated Caleb’s entire face and neck and his jaw twitched so hard he could barely open it to talk. He couldn’t believe this! The mayor expected them all to join the Klan. “Wh-what happens if some of the townspeople don’t want to join?” he managed to say. “We all have to work together,” the mayor said. “Anyone who isn’t for the town isn’t part of the town.” In other words, join or lose everything, Caleb thought. He struggled to breathe as the paneled walls threatened to close in on him. Thankfully, the meeting was over. Plastering a smile onto his face that he was sure looked more like a grimace, he shook hands with everyone and left. The cool air outside didn’t make him feel any better. As a gagging sensation clawed at his throat, he hurried down to the pier near the restaurant. Henry was right behind 175
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him as fine-needled mist peppered his face. The smell of spoiled seafood refuse in the nearby garbage bin didn’t help. “Are you all right, brother?” Caleb crouched on the pier, on the verge of being sick into the mist-pebbled water but not quite. “No.” Henry crouched beside him. “Tough meeting. You did well.” Nausea still hovered around Caleb’s head like a cloud. “I can’t believe this is happening. Oyster Island doesn’t need their kind here.” “I know.” Henry stared into the water. “I don’t like it either but it doesn’t look as though we have a choice.” “I can’t do it.” A cramp seized Caleb’s abdomen. “I can’t do any of it—the white sheets, the initiation, none of it.” His brother touched his shoulder. “Does this have something to do with your housekeeper?” Caleb shook off his hand. “That’s not all of it. Even if I’d never met her, this would make me sick. The mayor is taking away our rights and our freedom.” Henry waved. “This is all just for show. You’ll see. It won’t affect our day-to-day lives.” Caleb looked at his brother. “So you’re going to join?” “I’d rather join than go against the mayor. Besides, I’m on the boat most of the time.” “I have a feeling everyone is going to join.” Caleb threw a broken shard of oyster shell into the angry-looking water. Being the odd man out would be akin to throwing his entire company away. “Even those who don’t fully agree will feel pressured to go with the herd,” Henry added. Caleb blinked rapidly, trying to adjust to the fact the world he’d known all his life had just flipped over. “Even if I did go through their lousy initiation ceremony,” he thought out loud, “how could I look Pearl in the face and tell her I joined the Klan?” “Who says you have to tell her?” Caleb stood. “I’d better get home.” But he couldn’t face Pearl, knowing what he knew. He couldn’t face any of it.
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Chapter Eighteen Pearl lay awake in Caleb’s bed that night. He’d gone to a meeting hours ago. She’d listened to evening music programs on the radio again but she couldn’t concentrate on learning new songs. Where on earth was he? Maybe he was avoiding her because she’d told him she felt like a whore. From now on, she vowed to keep those thoughts to herself. If only she could stop the feelings too. They were lucky to have as much as they did and she knew if she didn’t start appreciating it, she could lose it all. When he finally came into the bedroom, she sat up. “Turn on the light,” she said. “I’m awake.” “You didn’t have to wait for me,” he said. He barely looked at her and the sight of his face turned her heart to a cold stone. His skin was as white as the sheets and he had hollows under his eyes. “Caleb, you look ill,” she exclaimed. “Can I get you something?” “No, thanks. My stomach was just a little upset earlier.” She watched as he stripped down to his underwear. “How was the meeting?” He waved. “A waste of time. The mayor has some silly ideas for the island, that’s all.” “Like what?” Caleb took a long time to hang up his clothes. “Some nonsense about seagulls, I believe. I don’t even remember half of it now.” Well, something was wrong, she thought, and it wasn’t seagulls. Why wouldn’t he tell her? “Did you stay away because of our argument last evening?” she asked. “No, Pearl.” He sat on the edge of the bed with his back to her. She touched his arm. “Then what is it? You can’t deny something is bothering you.” He sighed. “Stop worrying and go to sleep. It’s nothing I can’t deal with.” Pearl put her arms around him from behind and held him tightly, wishing he wouldn’t keep things from her. “Thank you, honey.” He stroked her hands wrapped around his middle. “Tomorrow we’re going to the jewelry store.” “Whatever for?” she asked. “I want to get you something nice to prove how special you are to me.”
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Warmth filled her as she leaned her head against his back. “You don’t have to prove anything to me.” He squeezed her hand hard. “I want to. Maybe I can’t tell the whole world you’re my wife but you are. From now on, I’m going to treat you like one.” Sweet warmth filled her veins so suddenly she thought they would burst. She kissed his pale cheek as tears pricked her eyes. “Caleb, you’re the most incredible man I’ve ever met. I love you so much.” “I love you too, Pearl.” His voice filled the room as if he wanted all of Oyster Island to hear it. Of its own accord, her hand brushed across the front of his undershorts. His breath caught and the warm mass of his genitals stirred beneath her fingers. “What are you doing, Pearl?” “Trying to make you feel better. Don’t wedding vows mention something about sickness and health? Lie down.” Pinkness returned to his cheeks and he even half-smiled as he lay flat and interlaced his fingers behind his head. Pearl pulled down his undershorts, exposing his semi-rigid penis. It was the first time he hadn’t been as hard as a rock around her. Something must really be on his mind, she thought. Something big. “Make it hard, honey,” he whispered. “I know you can.” She lifted his warm flesh, running her tongue along the length of it. Next, she popped the head into her mouth and sucked. All her love for this man went to her mouth. She hoped the strength of their passion would cure whatever worried him. As if by magic, his organ slowly hardened and lengthened beneath her mouth and fingers. She rubbed the sensitive insides of his thighs where his skin was softer and less covered by coarse hairs. He rewarded her efforts with a gentle moan. Within minutes, his hips bucked off the bed as he thrust into her mouth. Frantically, she scored his balls with her nails as he pounded his frustrations and worries into the circle of her mesmerizing lips. The massive bed squeaked beneath their efforts, mixing with Caleb’s growling moans. Hearing his pleasure and smelling his male scent made her pussy tight and wet beneath her nightgown. She longed to straddle his hard cock, slippery from her saliva, and satisfy the deep ache in her cunt but tonight was about healing him. He’d given her so much she wanted to give something back. “Pearl, this is…you’re so…wonderful. Oh. Oh. I’m going to come!” He’d barely finished the words before his balls contracted in her hands and hot semen filled her mouth. He groaned as more fluid filled her. She tunneled her fingers through his coarse pubic hair as she swallowed everything he gave. In this way, at least, there was nothing between them.
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When she sat up, he reached up and stroked her wet bottom lip. “That was amazing and just what I needed. Thank you.” “I drank all your worries, Caleb. Did you forget about them?” He grinned, looking healthy and more like himself again. “What worries?” Within moments, his eyes closed and his breathing slowed with sleep. Pearl turned out the light and pulled the sheet over their bodies. She curled up next to Caleb, determined to feel safe despite the doubts clawing her spine in the dark.
***** The next day, Caleb walked with Pearl down Main Street, wishing he could hold her hand. Their footsteps echoed against cobblestones wet from last night’s rain. The fog was so thick the buildings loomed around them in dim, gray shapes. As gray as the new cloche hat she now wore. He’d bought it for her to replace the one that had blown in the river. And today a ring… He couldn’t believe what she’d done last night to make him feel better. He’d gone from worried sick to hot and hard in moments. It only reminded him how lucky he was to have her. “I still think you should go without me,” she said quietly. “I doubt I’ll be welcome in the jewelry store.” “Of course you will. You’re my housekeeper and we’re buying a ring for Mrs. Abbott, remember?” Despite the silly roles they had to play in public, a contented smile curved her lips as she nodded. She must be so happy to get a ring from him she didn’t care how they had to go about it. Personally he’d rather see her wearing her new dress instead of the old, gray one. Unfortunately, he did care and disliked sneaking around like some kind of thief. He loved this woman so much he wanted to stand on top of the tallest building and shout it across the sea. One misstep could mean the end of his business, however, and the arrival of the Klan had made things even worse. “Wait a moment,” she said. “My shoelace is loose.” He put his hands into his pockets and looked around while Pearl bent to fix her shoe. The mist hinted at a new sign on the hardware store so he squinted to read it. “The South shall rise again. White power,” he mouthed silently as his face went clammy with nausea. Good God, it was worse than he thought. The Klan had taken over the town and was spreading its sick propaganda. He had to stop this but how? Pearl mustn’t find out about any of this but it would be hard to keep it a secret for long with signs going up everywhere. When she stood up, he guided her down a different street so she wouldn’t see the hardware store. 179
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“Isn’t the jewelry store over there?” she asked. “We’ll take the long way,” he said, “and have a nice walk.” But their new direction was no better. Caleb’s hands tingled with dread when he noticed Murdock and some of his cronies. They were leaning against a boat storage house, smoking and looking belligerent. “Well, if it isn’t mighty Mr. Rockfield,” the supervisor he’d fired called out. “Walking around town with a colored woman by his side like they was husband and wife. What do you suppose that means, fellows?” Caleb stopped abruptly, wondering how best to handle this. Beads of sweat prickled his forehead under the fedora he wore. Pearl clutched the collar of her coat, looking stricken. Now he regretted taking her out to get a ring. He should have just bought it himself and spared her this. It would have looked better if she’d walked behind him but he wasn’t sure if even that would have made a difference. The close relationship he and Pearl shared must be more visible than he realized. Hell, it must be as obvious as one of those awful signs on the hardware store. “She’s just my housekeeper,” he said slowly, “and she’s only helping me with an errand today.” “She looks like a bed warmer to me,” another called out. Bill Murdock took a deep drag from his cigarette. “Better run along now, Mr. Rockfield, before the whole town finds out you’re a—” “Come on, Pearl.” Caleb spoke loudly, hoping to block the horrible epithet Murdock had just thrown at him. But he could see by the way her lips trembled she’d heard. Rage burned through Caleb’s entire body and his hands clenched into painful fists as he ached to punch every one of those arrogant men. Knowing how suicidal that would be, he forced himself to walk away. Pearl followed him down a private alley. “Let’s go home,” she said, her arms crossed over her chest. “No. I’m not going to let those buffoons ruin this. I’m buying you a ring today, damn it.” He headed to the jewelry store even though his instincts told him to go home as Pearl had suggested. “Mr. Rockfield, what a pleasant surprise,” Albert Whitley, the owner, said. “What can I help you with?” Caleb took a deep breath, enjoying the quiet sanctuary of the store after the confrontation on the street. He was grateful there were no other customers inside. Dozens of lamps made gems sparkle in display cases. He wished he could buy the entire store for Pearl. She deserved it for enduring so much humiliation this morning. “My sister-in-law has a birthday soon and I want to buy her a ring,” Caleb announced. “She likes pearls.” 180
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The tall man with shoulders stooped over from years of intricate work smiled. “Certainly, Mr. Rockfield. We have a nice collection here. This one has a cluster of tiny pearls and these over here are solitaires.” The old floor creaked as he moved from one display to the next. “The solitaires are impressive.” Caleb smiled, feeling in control again. Finally someone treated him with the respect he was used to. “Pearl, where are you?” He turned to realize she stood several feet behind him. “Which one do you…do you think Mrs. Abbott would prefer?” “Oh, I surely wouldn’t know, Mr. Rockfield.” “Nonsense,” he said equably, wishing she wouldn’t play the housekeeper so well. “I’m a man and have no taste in jewelry. I do like that one with the large pearl, though.” “I’ll take it out for you,” Mr. Whitley said. Excitement shot through Caleb when he held the gold ring in his hand. With his fingertip, he traced the perfect roundness of the pearl. The nearby lighting brought out the warm iridescence just as his love brought out her passion. It was perfect. “That’s a mighty fine ring,” Pearl said, looking at it over his shoulder. “I’s sure Mrs. Abbott will be pleased with it.” “Pearl, your hand is about the same size as hers,” he said. “Try it on.” Mr. Whitley cleared his throat. “I’m sorry, Mr. Rockfield. We have a policy. No coloreds try on the merchandise.” Caleb flipped the ring in his hand. “Don’t you realize I’m about to spend a lot of money on this expensive ring? I find your policy inconvenient to say the least.” The other man rubbed the back of his neck nervously. “Well, I suppose I could clean it afterward but I have to think of my customers. If any of them found out I let colored folk try on the merchandise, they wouldn’t buy it. I’d go out of business.” Another case of everyone going along with the herd because people were afraid to do otherwise, Caleb thought with disgust. When would it end? It wouldn’t, he realized, because everyone was too lily-livered to stand up and fight it, including him. He let the ring drop on top of the glass display case. “Well, you just lost one customer already. Come along, Pearl.” “Wait!” Mr. Whitley called out after they were halfway to the door. Caleb returned to the counter. “Yes?” “She can try it on if you buy it,” the proprietor said. “I-I can resize it if it doesn’t fit.” “All right,” Caleb said, reaching for his wallet. Albert Whitley looked worriedly at the front door. “Quickly now, before other customers come in.”
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When Caleb slid the beautiful ring on Pearl’s left hand, his breath caught in his throat. Everything they’d gone through this morning washed away with the tide. She was his and this ring proved it. She looked up at him with love and humiliation warring in her green eyes. “It fits real good, Mr. Rockfield.” Although he longed to scoop her into his arms and tell her how much he loved her, he cleared his throat gruffly instead, remembering the proprietor was watching them. “Excellent,” Caleb told her. “Take it off now so Mr. Whitley can pack it up in a nice box for Mrs. Abbott.” When they got home, he couldn’t wait to close the door behind him and shut out the nasty, bigoted world. Under his own roof, he made the rules. He hung up his hat and pulled the ring box out of his jacket pocket, hoping this moment would erase their difficult morning. He’d dreamed of this moment for days and had even rehearsed what he wanted to say to her. They were about to come as close to marriage as they could possibly get. His mouth went as dry as a nervous schoolboy’s. But she shook her head as she took off her coat and eyed the box in his hand. Maybe he should wait for a better time but he couldn’t rest until this ring was on her finger where it belonged. He opened the box and took the ring out. “Pearl, honey,” he said, reaching for her hand. “This ring means—” Tears splashed her cheeks as she shook her head harder. “Please don’t, Caleb. I don’t want that ring.” He was so shocked he nearly dropped it. “What the hell do you mean you don’t want it?” She put her hand to her mouth, which twisted with emotion. “It wasn’t worth it. Those men said such awful things about us and the jeweler didn’t want my black skin touching his precious merchandise. As if I’m dirty or something. I was so humiliated!” The sick anger returned when he pictured Murdock’s mocking face and those signs on the hardware store she hadn’t even seen. “So was I but we can’t let them ruin this.” He reached for her hand again. “Just wear it.” “What’s the use?” She snatched her hand out of reach. “So we can have some meaningless, pretend marriage? That ring isn’t going to make all the hate go away.” She ran upstairs and slammed the door of the small guest room. The sound of it hit him like a blow to his chest. Nearly blind with fury—at himself for putting her through such humiliation and at this lousy town—he squeezed the metal circle in his hand and then threw it against the wall as hard as he could.
*****
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On Sadie’s wedding day two days later, Pearl fixed her hair in the round guest room mirror, trying to think of an excuse to avoid attending. She certainly felt ill enough. After their argument about the ring, Caleb hadn’t even come home to sleep. She’d avoided his empty bedroom too, preferring this small, simple room decorated in wallpaper patterned with violets. She looked down at the ring she now wore day and night, tracing her finger over the pearly tip. Finding it on the floor downstairs had cracked her heart into pieces. She’d knelt over it and cried, realizing how badly she must have hurt Caleb with her refusal to wear it. He’d been about to make his deepest commitment to her yet and she’d cheated them both out of that precious moment. So what if it would be a mock marriage? The love they shared was more than most people had. The front door opened, and predictably her body came to life with quick breaths and tingles. Fixing her hair for the last time, she put on her hat and headed down the stairs. Caleb’s face looked drawn and sick as it had before. Wherever he’d been, he hadn’t enjoyed himself. He looked up at her from the bottom. “Where are you going all dressed up like that?” The guarded expression on his face told her he noticed the fact she’d worn her original Sunday-best dress instead of the one he’d given her. She stopped mid-stair and gripped the smooth banister. “It’s Sadie’s wedding day, remember? Leroy is meeting me with the boat.” “Right. I’d forgotten.” Hesitantly, she walked down the remaining stairs and held out her left hand, which trembled. “I want you to know I never take it off.” Caleb hooked a finger under her hand to inspect it. “I wouldn’t have given it to you if I’d known how much pain it would cause.” “I’m sorry, Caleb,” she whispered. “I’m sorry I hurt you.” “I’m not hurt.” Then why did his voice sound so dead? “But you didn’t come home for days. I worried about you.” Realizing he wasn’t going to say much, she held him instead. The strength of his arms as they pressed her hard against him communicated what his words couldn’t. “I want to take you to the wedding,” he said. That was the last thing she expected. “But it’s just my family. You—” “Wouldn’t belong? Wouldn’t feel comfortable?” he asked. “I don’t care. If we’re going to be a couple, we need to be part of each other’s families.” Pearl touched his face lightly in wonder. “Are we taking your boat?” “No, I’ll ride with you in Leroy’s boat since he came all this way.”
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She blinked, unable to believe her ears. “Aren’t you worried about what people will think if they see you with us in a little rowboat?” “I don’t give a damn what people will think.” He winked at her. “Besides, after what I put you through the other day, it’s the least I can do. Just give me a minute to change.” Caleb went into his bedroom and emerged wearing a black three-piece suit with a blue silk tie. Heat raced across Pearl’s chest, making it difficult to breathe. He looked so wonderful in that suit she wanted to drag him back into the bedroom and rip it off. “How handsome you look all dressed up,” she said. He tugged uncomfortably at his collar. “Thank you but I don’t wear this very often. Simple clothes suit me better.” She arched a brow. “No fancy boat, car or clothes? I thought you liked to keep up appearances.” “To a point. If you think I have plain tastes, my brother is even worse.” He swatted her bottom. “We’d better get to that wedding.” At Oyster Harbor’s pier, Leroy looked surprised when Caleb got into the boat but his eyes were filled with admiration and respect. “Give me one of those oars,” Caleb said as he took his seat. “I’ll help you paddle.” Leroy shook his head vehemently. “No, sir. I don’t reckon you should do that, Mr. Rockfield. My arms will get us there.” Pearl was thankful Caleb’s hat and overcoat helped hide his identity. They didn’t need more trouble like they’d experienced the other day. When they neared the church, she frowned when she saw groups of people milling around outside. “Why aren’t they all in the church?” she asked. “It’s too cold to be outside.” Leroy pointed at the front lawn. “Could have somethin’ to do with that.” “Oh my God,” Pearl yelled when she saw the smoking black cross. Caleb stood, rocking the boat. “I don’t believe this.” As soon as the boat hit land, Pearl scrambled out and ran toward the figure in the white dress. “Oh, Sadie, what happened?” she asked as she hugged her. Sadie’s veil fluttered in the strong breeze as tears streamed down her face. “I can’t believe the Klan is here. Why would they ruin my wedding?” Buck, the groom, hovered nearby, looking worried as he conversed with other men in the wedding party. Even Aunt Wilma looked shaken. “Some of our neighbors said they saw it burning last night.” “But why?” Pearl asked as the smell of damp, charred wood burrowed into her head. “There’s been no trouble here, has there?”
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“No,” Wilma replied, “and they didn’t touch the church neither. It’s like a warnin’ or something.” Reverend Palmer joined them and eyed Caleb with wariness and suspicion. When Pearl looked at the guests, she realized they all shared his expression. Caleb looked as out of place here as she had felt in that jewelry store. “Maybe this gentleman knows somethin’ about this,” Reverend Palmer said. “We don’t want any trouble, sir.” Everyone stared at Caleb, wanting answers. He shook his head, looking even paler and sicker than he had the night she’d coaxed his cock to get hard. “I don’t know who could have done such a thing or why,” he announced. “I just came to attend the wedding of my housekeeper’s cousin. If I’m not welcome here, I can wait outside.” The reverend’s eyebrows lifted and some of the suspicion vanished. “Of course you’re welcome. Let’s all go inside now and get on with the wedding.” He eyed the cross coldly. “We’ll clean this up later.” While the others filed into the church, Pearl stayed behind with Caleb who swallowed often. “Caleb, you look too ill to even be here. What’s wrong?” she asked but that familiar dread clawed her back again. “You know something.” He took her arm. “Let’s go inside like the reverend said.” “Is this the secret you’ve been keeping from me?” she asked. “Is this why you’ve been so ill and worried lately?” She stared at the cross and back at him as realization pressed around her. “Oh God.” She clapped a hand over her mouth, feeling sick herself as something terrible occurred to her. “Please tell me you’re not a member of the Klan,” she said. When he looked away instead of answering, she fell to her knees in horror.
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Chapter Nineteen Caleb rubbed his forehead. He’d never wanted to tell Pearl about the Klan. With her cousin’s wedding about to start, there wasn’t much time to explain. A burned cross was the last thing he expected to see here. Good God. What was happening to this town? He took her hand and pulled her up. “Let’s sit on that bench over there and I’ll try to explain.” With her hand still over her mouth, she shook her head as she followed him through crunchy orange leaves that dotted the green grass. “I’m not a member of the Klan,” he told her. Yet. She shivered from the cold, making her lips tremble. “But you do know something?” He nodded and looked down at his feet. “That meeting with the mayor wasn’t about seagulls. It was about bringing the Klan to Oyster Island.” Realization appeared in her eyes. “So that’s why you’ve been acting so strange lately. Why didn’t you tell me the truth?” He squeezed the cold hand in her lap. “I didn’t want to worry you but I wish now I had.” She pointed to her pearl ring. “If we’re really committed, we’re supposed to share everything with each other.” “I know and I’m sorry.” He looked at the ugly cross. “This was a hell of a way for you to find out.” She looked at it too. “But why did they do it? There hasn’t been any trouble.” “I believe it’s a preventive warning for the blacks and propaganda for the whites,” Caleb said. Her hand clawed at his. “Caleb, I’m scared.” “This activity will die down eventually.” He covered her hand with both of his and looked into her frightened eyes. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you or your family. I promise.” He hoped it was a promise he could keep. She looked at the church where soft strains of organ music poured outside. “We’d better get inside or we’ll miss the ceremony.” Caleb felt chilled from his gut to his toes as he walked into the church with her. Not only had he lied to her once about the Klan, he’d just lied again. She still had no idea about the initiation.
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In one mere week, he’d have to choose which side he was really on, a decision that would change their lives forever.
***** Pearl and Caleb sat in the back of the church. With her emotions already in an uproar from the burned cross, her eyes burned with tears when she watched Sadie walk down the aisle in her white dress. Leroy escorted her since Uncle Charlie was too ill to attend. What Pearl wouldn’t give to be in her cousin’s shoes. How ironic that Sadie used to be so jealous of her. Now it was the other way around. Sadie got to marry the man she loved in front of friends and family. She and Caleb, on the other hand, had to sneak around in private. It wasn’t fair. As Sadie and Buck recited their vows to each other, tears ran down Pearl’s cheeks. She never should have come. For some reason, she couldn’t endure this ceremony. Her muscles twitched, aching to run out of the church. She gasped when soft cloth brushed her face. Warmth dissolved in her chest under Caleb’s kind blue gaze and smile as he dabbed her cheeks with a handkerchief. It reminded her of the day they’d met. Without a word, he touched the pearl on her ring, as if pointing out they had a commitment just as strong as marriage. Then he held her hand, something they wouldn’t dare do in the white community. If they married, she knew they would face a lot more than a burned cross. After the wedding, Pearl and Caleb went to the cottage to visit Uncle Charlie. It felt strange to be there again after she’d been gone for so long. The tiny house couldn’t be more different than Caleb’s spacious one. Wilma rushed around the cottage, straightening things up. “Mr. Rockfield, it sure is an honor to have you visit us.” Caleb took off his hat with a flourish of respect. “I thought it was about time I got to know Pearl’s family better.” When Pearl helped Wilma pour water into cups, the woman pointed to her left hand. “Girl, what you got on your hand?” She bent closer and squinted at it. “That’s the biggest pearl I ever see’d.” When Pearl exchanged a look with Caleb, he nodded. They were safe here. “Caleb gave it to me,” she said proudly. Wilma grinned knowingly. “Well, you must have done somethin’ right.” Pearl’s cheeks prickled with embarrassment. Now she wished she’d taken the ring off before coming here. Her aunt probably thought she’d earned that ring in bed. Maybe she had.
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“I love her,” Caleb declared as he put his arm around Pearl. “If circumstances were different, I’d marry her too.” Wilma dropped the cup she was holding, spilling water all over the floor. Pearl looked at Caleb, stunned by what he’d just said in front of her family. She couldn’t believe he’d taken such a risk. He knew how Aunt Wilma’s innuendoes made her feel and he’d finally ended them. She’d never loved him more than she did at that moment. “Of course, I’m sure I don’t need to remind you that our private business stays private,” Caleb added. Aunt Wilma attacked the wet floor with a rag. “That goes without sayin’, Mr. Rockfield. We won’t say a word.” Uncle Charlie stirred in his chair by the fire. “He’s wakin’ up now,” Wilma told them quietly. “He tires quickly, though.” Pearl and Caleb went to his side. “How you doin’, child?” Charlie’s voice sounded extra rusty because he’d been asleep. “Come closer so I can get a good look at you.” Pearl bent and kissed her uncle’s cheek, shocked at how gaunt he looked. “Do you remember working for me a couple of years ago?” Caleb asked him. Charlie looked lost but only for a moment. “Mr. Rockfield? You came all the way to see a sick old man?” Caleb smiled and looked at Wilma who stood protectively close to her husband. “Do you all have everything you need?” he asked. “Are you warm enough?” She nodded. “Them new building materials really helped out. They was from you, weren’t they?” “Yes, ma’am,” he replied. “If you need anything else—anything at all—let me know.” “You’re a fine man, Mr. Rockfield,” Wilma said, “even if you are white.” Everyone laughed, including Charlie. Leroy emerged from his room. “Are you all ready for me to take you back now?” Pearl nodded, forgetting her earlier jealousy of Sadie’s wedding. She’d never dreamed she’d stand in this cottage in front of her family openly declaring her relationship with Caleb. The warm acceptance that surrounded them made her chest so full it nearly burst. It was as if they were married. This day had turned out so wonderfully she’d even briefly forgotten about the Klan.
*****
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A few evenings later, Pearl bustled around the kitchen, preparing oyster stew and delicate pastries. Although the tasks filled her mind, she still couldn’t stop thinking about how wonderful Caleb had been with her family. It was almost as if they’d married that day instead of Sadie. If only the miserable cloud of the Klan didn’t hang over the house like the rain outside. Caleb still acted distracted as if he hadn’t told her everything. He came into the kitchen and grabbed her arms as she rushed from the counter to the oven. “Slow down,” he said. “You’re going to get so exhausted you’ll fall asleep in your plate.” “This evening has to be perfect,” she replied. “I still can’t believe you invited your brother to dinner.” “I thought it was time you met each other. Henry is the only family I’ve got left.” Pearl stirred the thick, buttery stew, satisfied it was ready. Her pulse raced a hundred miles an hour and she realized the thick dress Caleb had given her wasn’t suitable for the heat of cooking. This wasn’t her family, it was his. A strange white man would sit at the table and probably judge her. She hoped he wouldn’t be as bad as the Abbotts. “I hope he likes me,” she said. Caleb bent over the pot and sniffed the stew. “He’ll adore you. You two are the most important people in my life.” Pearl set down the spoon. “What does he know about us?” “Everything.” That made her pulse beat even faster. Much of the time Caleb had been out of the house she knew he’d spent with his brother. They must have discussed her. It felt strange to finally see the other piece of Caleb’s life. Pride filled her chest. He must think highly of her to share it. She gasped with shock and pleasure when two strong hands cupped her backside. “I love the way your sweet little ass looks in this dress. Remember the fun we had when I bent you over the oven?” “You wouldn’t dare,” she exclaimed as flames of desire came to life in her abdomen. He stroked her hip. “I’m looking forward to helping you clean up after he leaves.” So was she but she kicked the thought out of her mind. His brother mustn’t suspect the wildness in her. When Henry knocked on the door, Pearl answered it. She realized she’d seen him around the plant before, thinking he was just one of the watermen. Wearing a worn canvas jacket and khaki trousers, he looked as if he’d just stepped off a boat. “Good evening, Mr. Rockfield,” she said.
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“Call me Henry,” he replied. Caleb hugged him and looked him over. “I see I wore a tie for nothing.” Henry punched him in the arm. “You know I hate to dress up.” When Caleb formally introduced Pearl, his brother took her hand and smiled at her with warm, dark blue eyes that crinkled at the corners. He had brown, unruly hair— lighter than Caleb’s—and his face was less serious. “I’ve heard so much about you,” he said. She looked at Caleb with alarm but he winked at her. When the men sat down to eat, she remained standing, unsure if she should act like a housekeeper or Caleb’s wife. Although she’d used a recipe to make the oyster stew, mixed relationships had no rulebooks whatsoever. “Sit and join us,” Caleb told her. “This is the best oyster stew I’ve ever tasted,” Henry declared. “It’s even better than what they serve at the Sapphire Crab.” Caleb nodded. “I never get tired of eating Rockfield oysters.” “But you’ve barely touched it,” Pearl pointed out. “In fact, you haven’t been eating well at all lately.” “I’ve just been a little under the weather.” Although Pearl suspected there was more to it than that, now was not the time to pursue the issue. They laughed through the rest of dinner, entertained by Henry’s boating stories. Pearl couldn’t help smiling as she looked at the two of them, so different and yet so similar. “Do you remember the time Daddy got lost at sea during that storm?” Henry asked. Caleb’s eyes got a faraway look as he nodded. “We thought he’d never make it home.” From then on, they talked about their father and how he’d built the oyster plant. Pearl listened with rapt attention, wanting to know everything she could about her man. Clearly, their father was an idol to both of them. If only she could have met him too. When they’d finished eating, Caleb suggested she play the piano. “Play us some of those songs you’ve been learning from the radio.” She waved. “Oh, I’m sure Henry doesn’t want to hear that.” “You play the piano?” he asked with surprise. “I’d love to hear it.” Henry stood to her left and Caleb sat with her on the bench in front of the piano. Although being nervous affected her playing at first, the music soon took over. Her hands flew across the keys with a will of their own. When both men joined in the singing while a cozy fire burned in the hearth, family warmth wrapped itself around her as it had at the Johnson cottage. “Someone can’t carry a tune,” Caleb teased.
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Henry chuckled. “I’m a sailor, not a singer.” Pearl laughed too, thankful Henry was a much nicer guest than Elizabeth Abbott. Caleb scratched his chin. “It’s a shame to keep all that talent hidden inside these walls.” “My church already has an organist,” she replied quickly. There certainly wasn’t anywhere else her playing would be welcome. As if realizing the same thing, he cleared his throat and the three of them fell into an awkward silence. Henry bent down and pointed at her left hand. “Say, that’s a beautiful ring. Did you get that for her, Caleb?” Caleb nodded. “You have no idea what we had to go through to get it.” A worried look crossed Henry’s face. “How about some coffee?” Caleb asked. “I’d like to get better acquainted with Pearl, if you don’t mind,” Henry said seriously. The warmth surrounding Pearl dissipated, leaving something cold and uncertain in its place. Caleb’s face looked more serious as well. “You two can have coffee in the dining room,” he told his brother. “I’ll take a cup into my study.” When Pearl sat down with Henry in the dining room, she wished the evening were over. The room seemed eerily quiet after the boisterous piano playing. Why did he want a private conversation with her? It couldn’t be good. While Henry stirred cream and sugar into his coffee, Pearl sipped hers. “You and Caleb seem very happy together,” he said. “We are,” she replied. “Caleb is a wonderful man.” “He is, indeed.” He took a gulp of coffee and winced when it burned him. The man must be just as nervous as she was. “Henry, is there something on your mind?” she asked gently. “You’re a big improvement over his past wife, that’s for sure. That woman was stiffer than cardboard.” Remembering the day she’d found Caleb’s wedding photograph, Pearl couldn’t help smiling at the compliment. “Caleb needed a woman too. The man lived like a monk for years.” The tips of his ears turned red as he toyed with his spoon. Pearl sipped her coffee as she waited for him to get to the point. She couldn’t wait for Henry to leave so she could be alone with Caleb again. Maybe family togetherness was not as wonderful as she’d first thought. “You’re beautiful, charming and smart and you can really play that piano.”
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“But I’m the wrong color?” she asked. “Isn’t that what you’re trying to say?” Henry’s hand went limp and his spoon fell on the floor. “You’re a fine woman. It’s just that your relationship is…well…causing trouble for Caleb.” Pearl sat ramrod straight as if he’d pressed the point of a knife to the small of her back. “What kind of trouble?” He picked up his spoon and fiddled with it again. “Well, as you may know, there’s been a lot of change in this town lately.” “The Klan?” she asked. Henry nodded. “Caleb is really torn between you and the way things are heading. Our daddy worked really hard to build Rockfield’s. I’d hate to see anything happen to it.” Headlight glare from a passing car swept across the room. “Why would anything happen to it?” she asked. “To the rest of the world, I’m just Caleb’s housekeeper.” He sighed and rubbed his chin. “It’s just real hard on him is all. The initiation ceremony is tomorrow night.” Pearl frowned as something cold and sharp sliced through her gut. “What initiation?” But she knew. Oh God. She knew. Caleb hadn’t lied when he’d told her he wasn’t a member of the Klan but apparently he soon would be. “The mayor is pressuring us to join the Klan,” Henry replied. “If Caleb doesn’t do it, he’ll probably lose Daddy’s company.” She put her hand to her numb lips. “I had no idea.” “Rockfield’s is his life. Losing it would surely kill him,” he declared. “I don’t want to see that happen.” Pearl blinked as she pushed away her coffee. She longed to shoo Henry out of the house so she and Caleb could enjoy their peaceful sanctuary but that was gone now. The man sitting across from her had just destroyed it. “I know a lot of folks up the coast,” he continued in his warm, melodic voice. “I could get you a nice job just as good as this one.” The table spun as Pearl put her hands to her ears. Anything to make those horrible words go away. Leave Caleb, the man she loved with all her heart? She’d rather cut off her own foot. “Housekeeper, nanny—whatever you prefer,” Henry mumbled on. She glared at him, wishing she could detest him, but he looked just as miserable as she felt. Sweat coated his face and the coffee spoon was bent out of shape from his nervous hands. He’d clearly done this for love of his brother and had nothing against her personally.
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He fished a card out of his shirt pocket and handed it to her. “Think about it and contact me. If you really love Caleb, I know you’d want what’s best for him.” Her hands shook so hard she could hardly take the card. “And please don’t tell him we had this conversation.” He stood. “Thank you for the delicious dinner. I-I’d better be getting home now.” She nodded, unable to answer. Caleb met them in the parlor. The jovial look on his face vanished when he saw theirs. “Is everything all right?” he asked. Henry nodded. “Thank you both for a wonderful evening. I really enjoyed it.” After he left, Pearl hurried toward the kitchen to clean up dinner but Caleb caught her by the arm and looked at her with a stony expression. “What did he say to you?” “Nothing.” She tugged her arm, trying to get free. Caleb pulled her hard against him. “Don’t lie to me. You’re upset and it’s written all over your face. I never should have invited him here.” She was inclined to agree but part of her was glad she now knew the entire, ugly truth. It all made sense now—Caleb’s worry and strange bouts of nausea. This time, she managed to pull free but ran upstairs to the guest room instead of the kitchen. She needed to be alone to sort this out but Caleb was close on her heels. “I need to be alone, Caleb,” she told him. “I don’t feel well.” She shut and locked the door, leaning against it and sliding to the floor. Then she flung herself on the narrow bed and cried, ignoring Caleb’s knocks. Why hadn’t Caleb told her about the Klan initiation? Was he really planning to join? Or did he plan to refuse, risking his company as Henry feared? She beat her fists into the soft pillow, wondering who she was really angry at— Henry or Caleb? Herself, she realized. She’d been selfish, too busy fretting over her moments of humiliation and wounded pride to realize how torn Caleb must be inside. Just by being in his life, she was hurting him. If you really love Caleb, I know you’d want what’s best for him. Henry’s words twisted her insides as more tears leaked onto the pillow. Racking sobs shook her entire body, reminding her of when her mama had died. It wouldn’t hurt nearly as much if Caleb left her. Instead, the responsibility was in her hands. Caleb pounded harder on the door. “Open this door, Pearl, or I swear I’ll break it down.” When she got up and opened it, he pulled her into his arms. “What’s wrong? You have to tell me what Henry said to you.” She wiped her tears on her sleeve. “He didn’t say anything. I swear.”
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His eyes flashed blue fire as he searched her face. “If you won’t tell me, then I’ll find out from him.” When he raced down the stairs, she followed. “Caleb, wait. Stay home.” But the front door slammed harder than it ever had. She sank to one of the steps and gripped the railing spindles with both hands. Now she’d come between Caleb and his brother. Why did her love have to hurt him so much?
***** Caleb ran out of his house without a coat or hat but barely felt the cold rain. He headed toward Henry’s small cottage and opened the front door without knocking. As usual, an entire wall of hooks was crowded with outdoor clothing and waterman’s gear, filling the place with the smell of the sea. His brother was sitting on the sofa, repairing a crab net. “What the hell did you say to her?” Caleb demanded. “Nothing.” Henry shrugged. “Did Pearl say I said something?” Caleb went to the couch and hauled his brother up by the armpits. “No, she’s not saying anything. She’s crying her guts out.” Henry dropped the net and held up a shaky hand. “Now just calm down. I was only trying to do what was best for you.” Caleb dragged Henry toward the wall and held him there, realizing he’d never treated his brother this roughly before. What was happening to this town? To him? “What did you say to her?” Caleb ground out each word slowly. “I-I just pointed out how hard it is on you being torn in two directions.” Henry’s voice quivered as he spoke. “Especially with the ceremony coming up.” “So you told her about the initiation?” “Damn. I guess it just slipped out.” Caleb dug his fingers into Henry’s shoulders. “What else just slipped out?” “Nothing.” When Caleb shook him, he spoke again. “I just offered to find her another job somewhere else.” “You what?” Rage stronger than any he’d felt before gushed through Caleb’s veins. This wasn’t an enemy like the mayor. His own brother was working against him. He struck Henry across the face. “You had no right!” Henry lunged at him and drove a fist into his stomach. Within moments, they were rolling on the floor, knocking down fishing poles and a pair of oyster tongs, hitting each other until they finally stopped from exhaustion. “Don’t you see? She’s come between us,” Henry said, gasping as he got off the floor. “You have to give her up, Caleb.”
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“She didn’t come between us. You did.” Caleb stood too and rubbed his sore knuckles. “Damn it, Henry. I thought you were on my side.” His brother rubbed the top of his head and winced. “You’ve known me for years and know I’ll do anything to avoid a fight.” Caleb nodded. “So why are you acting this way? We need to face the Klan united, not divided.” “Because I can’t stand by and watch you throw away Rockfield’s.” “Is that because you want it for yourself?” Caleb asked. Henry frowned. “No, I’d rather be in a boat but losing the plant would destroy you.” “It would,” Caleb admitted, “but don’t you understand? Pearl is part of my life now. Losing her would destroy me too.” Henry studied him for several long moments with serious eyes. “I see that now. Caleb, I’m really sorry I upset you and Pearl. Apologize for me, will you?” “Thank you. I will.” “From now on, I’m on your side,” Henry vowed. When he held his hand out, Caleb didn’t hesitate to shake it and pull his brother into a hug. The sound of wet tires from a passing car finally penetrated the silence. “Have you decided what you’ll do about the initiation?” Henry asked. Caleb shook his head. “Not yet.” As he walked outside into the rain, he cursed the Klan under his breath. If only it had never come to Oyster Island. But it had and it would soon be time to choose sides. He hadn’t realized until he’d said it aloud to Henry that Pearl was just as important to him now as Rockfield’s. Before he’d met her, the oyster plant was his entire life. Then she’d shown him love and a whole new, exciting world, one he couldn’t give up. And yet without Rockfield’s, he’d have nothing and be nothing. He wouldn’t even have the nice house he and Pearl lived in. He was soaked. Every muscle in his body ached from his scuffle with Henry but nothing matched the pain in his insides from the decision that faced him—his company or his woman. Why did he have to choose between the two?
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Chapter Twenty Pearl sat in Caleb’s parlor, wringing her hands. It seemed the closer she got to Caleb, the more his life fell apart. With the Klan in town, it would only get worse. The Klan… Her mother had told her horror stories of things she’d witnessed as a child—fires, beatings and even a murder. How could she love him if he became one of them? Seeing him in a white robe with a torch in his hand would shatter her heart like a crushed oyster shell. Just the image of it made her shudder. And how could he love her? They would be enemies by definition and grow to despise each other. Unless their love was strong enough to withstand it. She sat nursing her worries until Caleb finally staggered into the front door with blood trickling from his lower lip. She rushed to his side. “What happened to you?” “Henry and I got into a fight.” “Because of me.” She touched his chin near the wound. “This is all my fault.” He caught her hand. “No, it isn’t. Henry and I discussed this and he finally understands how important you are to me. He apologizes for upsetting you.” She hadn’t expected that but Henry did seem to be a kind, decent man like his brother. “Come upstairs and let me tend to you,” she said. In his bedroom, he winced several times from pain when she helped him undress down to his underwear. While he sat on the side of his bed, she brought a bowl of warm water and wash towels from the bathroom. She stood in front of him, dabbing his skinned knuckles. “Your life would be so much easier if I weren’t in it,” she said. Caleb lurched, almost upsetting the bowl of water she held. “My life would be boring without you in it.” “Is boring so bad?” He frowned. “What’s happened to you, Pearl? You’ve never talked like this before.” She shrugged as she dabbed at his bottom lip with a wet towel. “Henry made me think. That’s all.” “Well, don’t listen to him. I’ve a mind to go beat him up again.” “Don’t,” she said as she put the bowl and towels on the nightstand. “There’s been too much trouble already.”
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Caleb reached for her. “My wounds won’t heal properly unless you kiss me.” She pressed a delicate kiss to his mouth, careful not to disturb the wound yet needing him more than she ever had. Her mouth brushed over his moustache and moved to his cheek. Inhaling his breezy scent and feeling the familiar texture of his skin burned the backs of her eyes with more tears. Would they ever end? She believed she’d cried more tonight than she had in her entire life. He pulled back and looked at her. “Are you all right?” She looked at him too, picturing him as if he’d already joined that brotherhood of hate. “Why are you staring at me like that?” he asked. They’d both been through enough for one evening. “You’re tired. We’ll talk tomorrow.” “About the initiation?” he asked. She nodded, unable to stop herself as she reached for one of the white towels and draped it around his face. “What the hell are you doing?” “Picturing how it’s going to be,” she said. He flung the towel across the room. “Damn it, Pearl. I should have told you instead of having you find out from Henry.” “So you’re going to join?” She could barely talk with the tight bands of pain crisscrossing her chest. “I don’t know.” He looked down, shaking his head. “I keep trying to figure it out but I’m running out of time. The initiation ceremony is tomorrow night.” She faced him and put her hands on his knees. “If you don’t join, would you lose your company?” Caleb nodded. “Probably.” “And if you do join, our relationship would be over,” she said, unable to keep the bitterness out of her voice. “Just the sight of me would make you sick.” He grabbed both her wrists and encircled them with his fingers. “That will never happen. I will love you until the day I die.” His pale eyes burned with the conviction of his words, tugging at the tight bands surrounding her heart, but she couldn’t help picturing those eyes looking through the holes of a mask. She tried to pull away but he held her fast. “You say that now but it would change you,” she exclaimed. “If I saw you in one of those white sheets, I don’t think I could feel the same way about you either. It would destroy us.” His hands finally went limp, releasing her wrists. “Pearl…” But she shook her head and headed to the guest room. They might as well start getting used to being alone. 197
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***** Caleb spent a restless night in his bed. It felt cold and empty without Pearl in it. Driven by his churning thoughts, he hardly noticed the pain from his movements. Despite the beating he’d gotten from Henry, what hurt most of all was when Pearl had put that towel on his head. He couldn’t blame her. The thought of her seeing him as one of those monsters drove a spike into his chest. How could he go through with the initiation ceremony this coming evening? Maybe he could claim he was sick but that would only delay the inevitable. The sound of soft footsteps in his bedroom an hour before dawn made him hold his breath. A deep sigh escaped him when Pearl climbed into his bed and put her arms around him. He burrowed his face in her soft hair, inhaling her earthy-sweet scent. Despite everything that had happened the night before, the sensation of her soft body against his cock made it harden. He needed this. How did she know how much he needed this, especially today? “Caleb,” she began. He put a finger over her lips. “Don’t talk, honey. Just fuck me.” “But you’re injured,” she whispered. He dragged her hand to his stiff bulge. “Does that feel injured to you?” “I want to talk about the initiation. I’ve been thinking and…” This time he put his entire hand across her mouth. “Not now. Take off your nightgown and panties.” “But—” “I need to be inside your pussy. Straddle me.” He tugged his undershorts down, releasing his hardness. After she pulled her nightgown off, he took a moment to admire the dusky patch of hair through the sheer fabric of her panties before she took them off too. Her aroused scent wrapped around him like a ribbon. He pressed a condom into her hand. “Put it on for me.” Feeling her soft, deft fingers unrolling the sheath down his length nearly brought him to a climax already. Needing her silky, wet pussy, he grasped her hips and pulled her down on him. Once started, he couldn’t stop. She moaned in surprise as he lunged deep. He swore he’d never pushed himself so deeply into her body before. As her hands stroked his chest, he watched the pearl on her ring and reached for the heated hollow between her breasts to feel her heartbeat. His woman, forever. No matter what happened tonight at the initiation, that would never change. Time shuddered to a standstill as their hips rocked together in lock-step rhythm. For the moment, his world ended outside this room, this bed and the sticky-sweet love 198
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they made. He got an even firmer grip on her hips and drove into her, burying all his worries, one by one. All too soon, he shouted with a climax he hadn’t seen coming and spilled every bit of himself inside her tight depths. Realizing she hadn’t come, he reached for her swollen bud. With his cock still inside her, he rubbed the wet nubbin of flesh until her back arched and she yelled with her release. He shuddered as her tight channel gripped his spent cock with waves of pleasure. “Thanks for visiting.” He pulled her shoulders down to him so he could kiss her. “You have no idea how much I needed that.” Using the towels from the nightstand, they cleaned up and then nestled in each other’s arms. “Can I talk now?” she asked. He nodded. “I’ve been thinking you should…join.” Caleb leaned up on one elbow. “Did I just hear you correctly?” “If it keeps you from losing your company,” she said, “it might be worth it. But only if you didn’t let it change you.” “It wouldn’t,” he swore. “It would only be for appearances. I think that’s all the mayor cares about anyway, a big show.” “Then do it.” Yet again, this woman had surprised him. Had she really just told him to join the Klan or was he having some sort of strange dream? “You can’t be serious,” he replied. “You truly want me to join?” She sighed and stroked the hairs on his chest. “No, but I don’t think we have a choice. If you go along with the mayor in name only, we can still have it all.” “Are you sure? You were so upset last night.” “That was my pride.” She pressed a gentle kiss to his mouth, making his wound sting with bittersweetness. “I believe in our love.” As moisture filled his eyes, Caleb pulled her so close and so hard it made his entire body ache. “So do I, honey. So do I.”
***** With his stomach twisted into a knot, Caleb entered the mayor’s hilltop, brick waterfront home that evening. The initiation ceremony. It was time.
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He added his hat to the others on the table in the entrance hall and entered the large living room. Dozens of excited male voices echoed against the hard surfaces and high ceiling. Mr. Lewes, the jeweler and every businessman in town was here. Seeing Henry’s grim but familiar face gave Caleb comfort. So did the sweet love Pearl had made to him this morning. Her stoic acceptance of their fate made his eyes burn with emotion even now. If he closed them, he could imagine her scent… Henry shoved a bundle of fabric into his hands. “Time to get dressed.” Caleb couldn’t breathe as he unfolded the white robe. It had a round emblem across the left breast. It would only be for appearances, he’d told Pearl, but could he really wear this and be the same man he always was underneath? “Hurry and put that on,” Henry told him. “The ceremony is about to begin.” Caleb could barely get his cold muscles to work as he struggled to put the foul garment on over his clothes. Henry pulled the hood over Caleb’s head. “Don’t forget this.” What the hell am I doing? Caleb wondered as he stood with the other men, staring out through the two eyeholes. The nausea that had hovered around him all day intensified. The mayor, dressed in the same ridiculous garb as everyone else, told them to get into a big circle and handed a new, white candle to each. Before the empty hearth, three men sat behind a table. They must be the outsiders but who would know the way everyone was disguised? Cowards, Caleb wanted to shout. If these people had such strong beliefs about white supremacy, why didn’t they have the guts to show their faces? He was no better, he realized, always keeping up appearances to save his business. The mayor joined the men at the front and said some nonsense about brotherhood and taking an important step for the future of Oyster Island. When the ceremony began, Caleb’s stomach shimmered with nausea and a cold, sickly sweat coated his forehead, neck and back. When the men formed a line in front of the big table, Caleb headed to the end of it. Weren’t appearances really lies? he wondered as he watched the first man get down on one knee, bow his head and hold up his virgin candle. Caleb finally understood why Pearl had insisted on being celibate when she’d first become his housekeeper. She couldn’t live a lie. One of the officials said some words, lit the man’s candle and put his hand on the man’s hooded head. If he’d never met her, Caleb realized, this initiation would be easier. He wouldn’t think twice about being false to save his business. Just like that, the first man in line was part of the brotherhood, a full-fledged member of the Ku Klux Klan. He stood up and walked off to the side with his fists
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clenched and his chin raised with pride. In moments, the man had changed from humble townsman to one of them. Just as he would. Pearl had changed him too, Caleb realized as he took a step forward with the rest of the line. Her uprightness went beyond appearances. It went to the core of a person, to one’s values. He was tired of sneaking around jewelry stores and pretending he was the same as the rest of these men. He wasn’t. His thoughts hounded him as he continued taking one step forward at a time. The closer he got to the front table, the more his blood surged through his body with the intensity of a raging fever. He stroked the virgin wick of the candle in his hand. Once they burned it, it would never be the same again. Neither, he realized, would he. When it was Henry’s turn, he had to look away. They had their own brotherhood. Would joining this new one change them? Remembering their fight, Caleb realized it already had. All too quickly, it was his turn. Now that the rest of the men were initiated and stood to the sides with burning candles in their hands, he wished he hadn’t chosen to be last. He was the only one left with the unlit candle and everyone watched him, especially the mayor. The flames around the room glittered in the man’s expectant eyes through the holes of his hood. The official standing before Caleb cleared his throat, hinting it was time to kneel. The scent of burning wax in the room fueled Caleb’s nausea, making him pant for breath. With extreme effort, he knelt. The words the man said blurred in his ears but he saw that flame coming at him in the darkness. It represented the same flame that burned houses, churches and…businesses. He squeezed his candle almost hard enough to snap it in half. It shook as the flame approached. Just before the fire touched the wick, he let the candle fall. The sound it made as it rolled on the wooden floor seemed louder than gunfire. “I can’t do this,” he announced. One motion naturally followed the next as Caleb stood up, snatched off the robe and hood, tossed them on the floor and walked out. When he got outside, the cold air surrounded him like a cleansing mist. All the worry and illness blew free as euphoria danced through his blood. Never again would he be a prisoner of the mayor’s. No more drunken fishing trips and jumping whenever the man told him to. He was free!
***** Pearl waited in the parlor for Caleb to come home from his initiation. Worry needled her chest as she wondered if he’d be a different man when he walked through 201
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the door. Would he still want her? He’d told her he would love her forever and she had to believe that. When he breezed through the door with a big grin on his face, she didn’t know what to think. She got out of her chair and approached him slowly. “What happened?” she asked. “Did they cancel the ceremony?” “No. I couldn’t go through with it,” he declared. She hugged him as relief washed over her, followed by an equal dose of worry. “But you could lose your business.” He gripped her arms and looked into her eyes. “That’s what the mayor wants me to think so he can control me. I’m not giving up Rockfield’s without one hell of a fight.” Oh, no. What had this wonderful, foolish man done? And all because of her. “Caleb, if you’d never met me, would you have done the initiation?” His blue eyes grew serious. “I’m not sure but I probably would have.” She turned away from him and hugged her arms around herself. “Then whatever happens is my fault.” He spun her around again. “Stop saying that. Nothing is your fault. You changed me for the better. I’ve been the mayor’s prisoner all this time. Now that I’m free I can really be happy.” “Even if you lose everything?” she asked. Caleb sighed and spoke slowly. “Even if I lose everything, I still won’t regret the decision I’ve made.” Pearl squeezed her hands together, hoping for both their sakes everything would turn out all right.
***** The next day at work, Caleb arrived early to see his plant before the workers arrived. He ran his hand over the shucking tables and a stack of oyster cans, wondering just how hard he’d have to fight to keep from losing it all. “Daddy,” he said aloud. “You always taught me to do the right thing and I believe I have.” He would face rough seas for a while but they would eventually calm again. Then he could enjoy his new freedom from not being under the mayor’s thumb anymore. With Pearl’s love giving him strength, he couldn’t lose. Someone came in, disturbing the silence. Caleb’s heart sank when he recognized the man as one of the waiters from the Sapphire Crab. “Mr. Lewes asked me to deliver this letter to you, sir,” the young colored man said. “He says it’s real important.” “Thank you.”
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Caleb opened it after the man left and stopped breathing as he read the message. “He’s canceling all his orders for my oysters,” he said aloud. “He can’t do this!” Caleb staggered against a shucking table. The restaurant was his biggest buyer. What if the local seafood markets canceled next? All he’d have left were his shipments to other towns. Or did the mayor control those too? So the war had begun, he thought as he crumpled the letter in his fist. Well, he wasn’t going down without a fight. Hours later, the mayor himself entered his office and sat down across from his desk without being invited. “I was very disappointed by your behavior last night.” Mayor Carter crossed his ankle over his knee. “You insulted the brotherhood.” “I didn’t mean to insult anyone,” Caleb replied calmly, “but the Klan is just not for me.” Hatred burned from the mayor’s eyes. “Would this have anything to do with your colored whore?” Caleb fought the urge to jump across his desk and throttle the man. What did he know about Pearl and how had he found out? “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” “I heard from the jeweler you bought her a big, fancy ring like she’s your wife or something,” Mayor Carter said. “Is that why you turned your back on the rest of us, so you can marry her?” Caleb blinked in shock as he digested the mayor’s words. He’d always told Pearl he couldn’t marry her because he’d been worried about appearances. Seeing Tom Lewes’ crumpled cancellation letter sitting on his desk told him the time for appearances was long past. “If I choose to marry her, that’s my concern,” he said. “It should have nothing to do with my company.” Anger flushed the mayor’s face. “It has everything to do with it. Oyster Island is a clean town with decent values. Your kind isn’t welcome here.” His kind? Caleb had always known bigotry existed and that it must be difficult to bear. Now he knew firsthand how it felt to be the target of it. This couldn’t be happening. The mayor stood up to leave, which was fortunate because Caleb was seconds away from throwing him out. “You won’t win,” Caleb said. “You’ve tried to control me for years but it isn’t going to work anymore.” Mayor Carter spread his short arms and gave him a mocking smile. “Enjoy your office while you can, Mr. Rockfield. With no buyers or oysters, I don’t think you’ll be very busy for long.”
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A long blade of fear stabbed Caleb in the gut. “You cut off my suppliers too?” “I’m working on that, as well as pulling the leases for your oyster beds, but it isn’t very difficult.” The mayor looked at his watch and smiled. “You see, no one else wants to deal with your kind either.” After he left, Caleb gripped his desk with both hands as if he were on a sinking boat. Despite the fact everything was crumbling around him, he felt strong on the inside—stronger than he’d ever felt before.
***** Caleb came home late that evening, looking exhausted and wrecked. “You look as if someone beat you up again.” Pearl led him to the dining room where a platter of chicken with dumplings and peas waited for him. “I feel beat up,” he replied, “and I’m not hungry.” She’d worried so much all day about the consequences of his decision she hadn’t eaten much either. “These are hard times and you need to keep your strength up,” she told him as she pushed him toward his chair. While he picked at his food, she drummed her fingers on the tablecloth. “Caleb, if you don’t tell me how your day was I’m going to die of anticipation.” He looked at her with eyes so haunted and dead they froze her soul. “It didn’t go well. My orders and suppliers are dropping off. It seems no one wants to do business with my kind.” She put her hand to her mouth. “Oh, no. I’m so sorry. How much…how much longer before…?” Before he lost everything, but she couldn’t say it. “This isn’t your fault,” Caleb said. “I’m trying to find other options but it’ll take time. I may have to furlough some workers.” “Maybe you should have joined after all,” she said. Caleb threw down his fork. “No. I have no regrets about my decision.” “Well, I do,” she exclaimed. “Watching your business die and you along with it kills me inside. How long will it take before you hate me?” He stood up so fast he knocked over his chair. “Damn it, woman. I told you I would love you forever and that will never change.” To her surprise, he clasped her hands and pulled her against him so hard she tripped. “Marry me, Pearl.” “What?” Had someone hit him in the head today?
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Fury burned in his pale eyes. “I refused to marry you all this time because I worried about what people might think. Well, I can’t live with myself anymore if I have to hide behind one more appearance.” “Caleb, calm down,” she said. “I made you feel like a whore.” Pearl tried to pull away, her pulse fluttering in her throat as if it were a trapped bird. “That’s behind us now.” “The mayor knows about us.” She gasped. “What? How?” “The jeweler told him. All that matters is that I’ve heard you called a whore for the last time,” he insisted as he tightened his grip on her. “It’s past time I got the guts to make you the wife you deserve to be.” The irony of his words made her want to scream with frustration. All this time she’d longed to be his wife, figuring it was a dream that would never come true. She wanted it more than anything, but not this way. “No, Caleb,” she cried. “There’s too much trouble already. Marriage is supposed to be about love, not proving something.” “We can do it in your family’s church if you like,” he added. “So the Klan can burn it down?” she yelled. “Think of my family. Think of me!” The angry fire in his eyes dimmed with disappointment as he finally let go of her. “Are you saying no?” She looked around the room, which seemed to spin out of control. Everything was happening so fast. Her hand trembled as she touched his cheek. “Caleb Rockfield, there’s nothing I want more than to be your wife. I’m so honored that you asked me, but we can’t marry unless this trouble fades away. We just can’t.” Without a word, he abandoned dinner and closed himself in his study. Pearl paced around the parlor, wringing her hands with worry. The whole atmosphere of the town seemed to vibrate with hatred. How simple things were when they’d first met, she thought. Those stolen moments in the shucking room, exploring their bodies, were all their own. Now everyone knew about them. Caleb shouldn’t have bought her that ring. They shouldn’t have been so careless. Most of all, he should have joined. She stopped short, realizing the man she loved couldn’t go through with it. If he had, he wouldn’t be Caleb. For better or for worse, they were who they were. An hour later the phone rang and she answered it. “Rockfield residence.” “Is Caleb there?” It was Henry and he sounded rushed. “Yes,” she replied, forcing a calmness into her voice she didn’t feel. “Just a moment and I’ll get him for you.” “No time. The oyster plant…tell him…tell him it’s on fire.” 205
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Chapter Twenty-One Terror raced through Caleb’s limbs when Pearl told him the news. A fire could be caused by a lot of things like bad wiring, but he knew it wasn’t the wiring. It was the Klan. When he saw Pearl putting on her coat, he seized her by the shoulders. “You stay here and keep the doors locked.” “But, Caleb, I want to help.” “It’s too dangerous out there with the Klan at large.” He gave her a gentle shake. “Stay here!” He scurried into his car without a hat and nearly drove into the water when he saw the ugly orange flames on the second floor of his plant, the white paint eaten by a spreading ring of black. Damn. They’d managed to get his office. When he got out of the car and ran to the building, he noticed fire burning the unloading dock in back too. Several men, white and black, worked a bucket brigade using water from the river. Instead of the splashing and frantic voices, Caleb could only hear the sickening hissing breath of the flames. Off to the side, he saw a couple of men in the dreaded white hoods and robes, carrying torches and watching the spectacle. Murderous rage seared every muscle in his body as he rushed toward them, tempted to kill them with his bare hands. “Caleb!” Henry’s voice stopped him, giving the masked men a chance to run away. He didn’t even know who the miserable cowards were. “We could use some help over here,” Henry called out. Caleb ran toward his plant, panting from the heat, smoke and horror that stole his breath away. His brother’s face was red and slick with sweat as he hauled water from the river. Caleb waded in and put his hands around his throat. “What do you know about this?” he demanded. “I heard a tip at the restaurant so I came to—” Anger made Henry’s face even redder. “Are you suggesting I set this fire?” “You’re one of them now, aren’t you?” Caleb asked with a growl. Henry pulled free of the grip around his neck, falling in the water. When he came up, sputtering, he grabbed Caleb’s throat in return. “Do you think I’d burn Daddy’s company? Damn it, Caleb. You should have joined. You should have joined!”
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Caleb stumbled out of the water and ran toward the open dock doors, the oven-hot heat contrasting with the cold, wet trousers clinging to his legs. He couldn’t stand by and watch his very life disintegrate before his eyes. A good captain went down with his ship. Henry ran after him and pulled his arm. “Don’t go in there! The roof could cave in.” Caleb grabbed the empty bucket out of Henry’s hands and tossed it aside. “What’s the use? It’s gone. They’ve won.” Henry picked up the bucket again and shoved another one into Caleb’s hands. “They will if you don’t stop gabbing and start working. Come on. We can minimize the damage.” “Where’s the hell’s the fire department?” Caleb asked. “After all that money I donated, they could have at least shown up.” But he knew the answer. The police and fire department were part of the Klan now. Henry was right. He had to work to save it. At least it kept his mind off the fact that everything he’d worked for was going up in smoke.
***** At home, Pearl paced for so many hours she swore she’d worn holes in the rugs. More than once, she’d opened the door and looked outside, tempted to run to the burning plant. The thought of being assaulted, or worse, by the Klan stopped her. Caleb had been through enough. The least she could do was obey his orders. The tang of more smoke seeped inside from the cold night air every time she opened the door. As the hours ticked by on the mantel clock, she began to fear the Klan had killed him too. Caleb didn’t get home until well after midnight, sooty, tattered and exhausted. He staggered through the door and collapsed to the rug on his knees, coughing. Tears streamed down Pearl’s face at the pitiful sight of him. He’d always exuded such power and now he looked completely broken. She knelt beside him on the rug, not sure what to do for him. He’d probably lost everything and there wasn’t anything she could possibly do to fix it. “Caleb, can I get you something?” But he just looked at her instead of answering. His pale, blue eyes looked eerie against his sooty face. “Is it…all gone?” she whispered. “Not quite.” His voice came out as a croak from all the smoke. The sound of a siren wailed down the street. “Did you hear that?” she asked. “It must be a fire engine.” “Too late,” he replied.
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He coughed again, grimacing from physical or emotional pain. She wasn’t sure which. At some point, his coughs turned to sobs. Pearl’s heart reared into her throat at the pitiful, gut-wrenching sound of it. She reached out and touched the top of his head, pulling him toward her as she sat with her legs folded under her. His head found her lap as his arms went around her hips. Thinking he might want to eat when he got home, she still wore her apron. Caleb’s soot and tears stained the white fabric while silent tears streamed down her face as well. She rested calming hands on his heaving shoulders. Why? Why had those hateful people destroyed this man and their love? He used to be so happy and powerful. Now that she was part of his life, he’d nearly lost everything. As she stroked the hair of the man she loved, her tears stopped as quiet resolution filled her. She knew what she must do.
***** The next day, Caleb drove Pearl to the plant so they could see the damage. The vibration and sound of the car engine reminded her of the days she’d spent on his boat. She kept her hands folded in her lap. Neither of them spoke of how he’d cried in her lap last night. She imagined Caleb Rockfield didn’t cry very often. The last time had probably been when his father had died. She didn’t tell him she planned to leave him. The last thing she wanted was for him to try to change her mind or come after her. He’d already lost so much because of her. She had to get away from him before he lost the rest of Rockfield’s and maybe even his own life. When the backs of her eyes burned, she stared out the car window to keep her tears in. True love wasn’t about selfish passion. It was selfless and doing what was best for the other person. Caleb had always tried to do what was right for her. Now it was her turn. He reached over and touched her folded hands. “Don’t look so sad. We’ll get through this, together.” Pearl bit her lip. How could he possibly want to continue their relationship after what had happened? “It’s my fault,” she said. “You stop that kind of talk right now,” he said as he turned toward the plant. The sight of the damaged building brought her hand to her mouth as he stopped the car. She saw the second floor was badly burned and partially missing. Half the unloading dock was gone too. “Oh, Caleb, no!”
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When he helped her out of the car, his face was pale and as grim as stone but a tiny smile flickered over his lips. “Well, at least it’s still standing,” he said. They walked around back. The sight and smell of so much charred wood pressed a band so tight around Pearl’s chest she could hardly breathe. It was like the cross at church all over again only much worse. Henry emerged from inside with a clipboard. His eyes had dark circles under them and his overalls were filthy with soot. He looked just as tired and beaten as Caleb. In spite of everything that had happened and the fact he was part of the Klan now, he greeted her politely and took off his cap. “The fire truck came after you left,” he told Caleb. “I heard,” Caleb replied. “I don’t know why they bothered.” “They were afraid the fire would spread to other buildings,” his brother replied. Caleb turned and peered at the clipboard over Henry’s shoulder. “How bad is it?” “The second floor needs major rebuilding. Your metal file cabinets managed to save some of the papers but even those are somewhat charred. We’ve lost about half the shucking space.” He pointed to the dock. “I guess we’ll get that bigger dock after all.” “We’ll rebuild,” Caleb said. “We’ll just have to run at reduced capacity for a while.” “Assuming the hardware store will sell us lumber at reasonable prices,” Henry added. “Then we’ll get it shipped in,” Caleb said. “We can’t let them win.” Henry sighed. “If you join the Klan now, they might pitch in and help you.” Caleb glared at him. “I’ll burn the rest of it down myself before I do that.” Pearl stared at the water, hoping Caleb would reconsider his brother’s advice after she left. Looking into the main shucking room reminded her of first coming here to work. What job awaited her now? She didn’t even know where she’d go. All that mattered was getting out of Caleb’s life so he could get back everything he’d lost. Even though Henry had offered to find her other employment, she didn’t want Caleb to know where she’d gone. “Thanks for everything you’ve done here,” Caleb told his brother. “Go have a nice breakfast at the Sapphire Crab. I’d like to be alone here for a while.” Henry nodded. “The first floor is pretty stable but keep your eyes up in case something drops from above.” They squeezed each other’s arms affectionately. After Henry walked toward the restaurant, Pearl followed Caleb into the plant. Ironically, her old shucking station was unscathed but other areas were damaged. Half-burned wooden shucking stalls lay about like driftwood.
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They walked across the first floor, entering the small shucking room. The sun coming through the small windows warmed it. “Well, I’ll be damned,” Caleb said, looking around in wonder after he laid his hat and their coats on the shucking table. “It’s unscathed.” So were the memories of their early times together. Pearl headed toward the door, needing to get out of this room before she shattered to pieces. But Caleb got there first. In a gesture she knew too well, he flipped the lock. Her body reacted automatically, tightening the nipples under her bra and making her panties slick with arousal. She shook her head. “Caleb, you can’t possibly—” He cut off her words with a passionate kiss. Strong hands reached around her waist, pulling her toward the hard bulge under his trousers. Caleb’s power was back. Don’t kiss me! It would only make leaving him harder than it already was. He looked at her when the kiss ended. “Do you realize this room is the oldest part of the plant? My daddy started out with this room. That has to mean something.” “It’s a special room,” she agreed. “It means Rockfield’s will go on.” He kissed her again. “It means we’ll go on too.” The familiar brush of moustache on her face started a fire of its own deep in her belly. His breezy scent penetrated the residue of the smoke in the building. Pearl almost wished this room had burned to echo the end of their relationship. Caleb’s hands pulled up the back of her dress, undid her garters and tugged her panties and stockings down several inches. “We can’t do this,” she protested. “Not here. Not now.” Not ever again. “I need you,” he said hoarsely as his teeth nipped her earlobe and his fingers brushed across the swelling mound between her legs. Her knees buckled as resolve slipped out of her. “How can you still want me when all of this happened because of me?” But even as she asked, her fingers unbuttoned his shirt and reached inside to feel his chest one last time. Caleb squeezed her upper arms. “If you ever say that again, I’ll spank you senseless. None of this is your fault.” She buried her face in his neck, needing to memorize every scent and texture of him. Many men would have decided she wasn’t worth the trouble by now, but she’d learned a long time ago Caleb Rockfield wasn’t like most men. He was so special it made her heart ache. “I wish we could live on that private island,” she said, moaning as he pushed her bra straps down and pinched her nipples. “I do too, honey.” 210
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Pearl flung her head back when his hot, wet mouth moved across her bare chest. How could she ever live without this? Without him? She would have to figure it out somehow. There was no choice. “You know what the problem with this plant is?” Caleb whispered in her ear. “We never fucked in it.” She laughed. “It’s not as comfortable as your bed.” Her hand wandered down to his hard bulge and caressed the cock that had given her so much pleasure. Despite all the hard surfaces, this room was even more appealing than his bed. Their love and passion had been born here and grown one night at a time. She couldn’t have picked a better place for goodbye. He spread their coats out across the shucking table and lifted her to lie on top of them. It reminded her of the night he’d explored her pussy with his mouth. Her clitoris tingled, wondering if he was about to do that again. “Lick me, Caleb,” she begged. Anticipation made a giant pulse beat inside her body as he pulled off her panties, stockings and shoes. She whimpered as his hard mouth slid across her wet folds and his hands spread apart her labia. The combination of his probing fingers, hot tongue and rough moustache nearly sent her to the ceiling on the first lick. “Caleb!” Having him cry in her lap last night had brought them closer than ever before. Because of it, the pleasure he gave her now was even sweeter than any he’d ever given her. Breath hissed in her throat when he let go of her. Don’t leave me! The darkness of their upcoming parting chased away the heat until Caleb grabbed her hips and flipped her over. “Get on your knees so I can fuck you.” A fire of her own raced through every limb at Caleb’s words. Of all the positions she’d tried, being taken from behind was the best of all. Remembering the night he’d fucked her in front of the oven sent sizzling juices streaming from her pussy. As Pearl’s bare knees pressed into the wool of his outstretched coat, Caleb’s sheathed, poker-hot cock teased her opening. Her clitoris throbbed as she rubbed it against the swollen head. “Take me now,” she begged. Take me for the last time. But instead of filling her as she so desperately needed, he brushed one of the dangling garters across her bare ass cheek. She shuddered from the light, unexpected sensation. “The last time we were in this room, you were saving yourself for marriage,” he pointed out. “Little did we know you were saving yourself for me. For this.”
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Before she could answer, he slid all the way inside her. Her fingers dug into the coats as she struggled to adjust to his deepness. The scent of her juices filled the air, hiding the smoke. The Klan and the hostile outside world ceased to exist. For these short, beautiful moments, this was their room, their sanctuary, and no one could take it away. “My woman. My wife,” he chanted as he slid in and out of her. Don’t say that! I can’t ever be your wife now. This would be the last time she made love, she realized. She would never let another man touch her for the rest of her life. “After I rebuild, we’re marrying,” he continued. “No one will stop us.” His hands reached inside her bra as he drove into her. The extra sensation of his fingers on her tender nipples sent her hurtling toward the edge. She gasped for breath as her belly tightened. “Scream, honey,” he said in her ear. “Scream for everything we lost, everything we’ll get back.” Coaxing her toward climax, he pulled almost all the way out and brushed his finger across her clitoris. Then he pushed all the way in, still stroking her. The flame erupted inside her, consuming her on the second stroke. “Caleb!” she screamed. He hammered her with short, hard strokes as he reached his own fulfillment. They both collapsed on the table, tangled in the coats. He flipped her over and stared into her eyes. The pale blue depths burned themselves into her soul where she’d never forget them. “I love you, Pearl,” he said. Weak from their explosive lovemaking, she couldn’t hold back the tears. He touched them and frowned. “Why are you crying, honey?” She swallowed the lump in her throat. “Because…because I love you so much.” There was no need to spoil this special moment by telling him her plans now. He’d find out soon enough.
***** The next morning, Pearl went to the plant, which had reopened. Caleb had a team of builders in place and a partial workforce of shuckers, including her family. Not wanting Caleb to know why she was there, she rushed to Aunt Wilma’s side and urged her to come outside. Weak sunlight did little to warm the air. Pearl shivered, realizing the cold weather wouldn’t make her trip any easier. The breeze blew tendrils of gray hair around Wilma’s face. To her surprise, the older woman hugged her. “I can’t believe what’s happened,” Wilma said. “Thank goodness you’re all right.” 212
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“We’re sure the Klan did this,” Pearl replied, looking at the charred marks on the white clapboard siding. “They didn’t like the fact Caleb didn’t join and they don’t approve of his involvement with me.” The older woman shook her finger. “Didn’t I tell you getting involved with white folks would be nothin’ but trouble?” Pearl nodded, wishing her lips wouldn’t tremble. “He wants to marry me but he’s already lost too much. That’s why I’ve decided to leave him.” “Move back into the cottage,” her aunt said. “They’s extra room now with Sadie gone.” “No.” Pearl shook her head. “He’ll find me there.” “Then where?” “I’m not sure yet,” Pearl said, “and don’t you dare say anything to him.” “All right but that man loves you. He’ll surely come aroun’ asking questions.” “Don’t tell him anything. Remember all that money I gave you? I need some of it back. Can you bring it tomorrow?” Wilma reached inside her bodice. “I’ve got it right here. With all the stuff burnin’ lately, I don’t leave nothing valuable at home anymore. How much do you need?” “Whatever you can spare after Charlie’s…expenses.” Wilma pointed to her left hand. “That ring is worth something.” Pearl looked at the pearl on her finger. It had become such a natural part of her she’d forgotten about it. “If I try to sell this, people will assume I stole it.” She would tie it around her neck so no one would see it. It would give her something to remember Caleb by. “Are you sure you don’t want to come home?” Wilma asked after handing Pearl the money and stowing her envelope again. “Charlie won’t last much longer and Leroy’s itching to move out and start his own family. They ain’t gonna be anybody left.” The fact that Wilma had once kicked her out hung between them. “Why are you being so nice to me?” Pearl asked. “You’ve hated me since the day I arrived on your doorstep.” Wilma sighed, her lined face filled with regret. “When I looked at your pretty face, I saw everything I’d wanted in life and never had. Can you forgive a bitter old woman?” Pearl hugged her. “Of course, Aunt Wilma.” “Take care of yourself, child, ‘specially with the Klan around.” To Pearl’s surprise, the older woman’s eyes were luminous with tears when the hug ended. “I will,” she replied, “and thank you for the money.”
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Wilma paused and turned as she headed to the plant’s front door. “They’s a women’s college down in St. Mary’s County. Colored folk work in the dining hall and kitchen. Maybe cleanin’ too.” As Pearl walked back to Caleb’s house, she patted the envelope tucked in her dress pocket. Now that she had the money, there was nothing keeping her here. By nightfall she’d be out of Caleb’s life forever.
***** Late that night, fear clawed at Caleb’s gut as he steered his boat down Crab Creek. It was low tide and he could hardly see where he was going but he couldn’t wait a moment longer. The last thing he’d expected to find when he came home late from his most exhausting day of work ever was an empty house. There was no note or sign of a struggle. It was as if Pearl had vanished. Screaming her name in every single room hadn’t made her appear either. With two devastating losses in one week, it was a wonder he could even steer this boat. He’d gone to Henry’s place first, tempted to throttle him again, but his brother swore he didn’t know where Pearl was. What if the Klan had kidnapped her or worse? But Henry assured him he would have heard about it if they had. Pearl must have needed some time to herself. Caleb couldn’t blame her after all that had happened. Hell, he’d cried in her lap like a little boy. But why didn’t she just tell him where she was so he wouldn’t worry? He’d seen her talking to her aunt earlier so she must be staying with her. All he had to do was bring her home where she belonged. After tying up his boat at the Johnson place, he carried his lantern and pounded on the door. Minutes later, a sleepy-looking Wilma answered. “Get Pearl,” he asked. “I’m taking her home.” A guarded expression appeared in the woman’s dark eyes. “She ain’t here.” “What do you mean she isn’t here? Where the hell is she?” “I don’t know, sir.” Caleb felt like throttling her too. Why didn’t anyone have any answers? He held the lantern up to her face, as if the light might force the truth out of her. “That’s not an acceptable answer,” he said slowly. “I saw the two of you talking at the plant today.” The woman’s lower lip trembled. “She told me she was leavin’ you because she didn’t want to bring no more trouble on you.” He cursed under his breath. “Where did she plan to go?” Wilma shrugged. “She didn’t know herself. She said she just had to leave.” 214
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Caleb’s blood rushed through his ears so hard he could hardly hear his own voice. “Did you suggest someplace for her to go? A job, maybe, or more family?” “The only f-family she got left is right here.” “Do you think she might have gone back to Annapolis?” The woman just shrugged again. “You’d better not be holding anything back.” He leaned close until his nose nearly touched hers. “Pearl is alone out there in the night with the Klan at large. She could be dying in some ditch as we speak. I can’t help her if I can’t find her.” The older woman’s hand clutched the collar of her bathrobe. “I-I told her there’s a college in St. Mary’s County but she may not go. If they ain’t no jobs there, she’ll move on.” Caleb nodded, satisfied. “That gives me a place to start, anyway. If you hear anything, send word to my brother at the plant.” “I will,” Wilma promised. Now he realized why Pearl had cried after they made love in the shucking room. Her mind must have already been made up then. When his plant had burned, he thought he’d lost everything. Now he knew how loss really felt. He had to find her.
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Chapter Twenty-Two Caleb woke up cursing at dawn the next morning. Every muscle in his body had a cramp in it from sleeping in his cold, hard car at an angle. A light layer of frost covered the windshield. He’d run off the road in the dark last night and busted his tire. The rough roads in this county were even more primitive than the ones where he’d come from. If he’d been sensible, he would have waited until morning to come down here. When it came to Pearl, he felt anything but sensible. Her loss was a gaping chasm in his body and soul. By the time he got the tire fixed, who knew where she would be. He’d comb this entire county if he had to. If she really wanted to end things with him, she’d have to tell him to his face. His spare tire was flat too and he had nothing to patch it with. He wrestled off the wheel with the bad tire and walked with it back to the service station and general store he remembered passing the night before. It would take some time to fix, the men told him, so they recommended he relax and have some breakfast. Caleb was anything but relaxed and he had no appetite. Instead, he walked. The land looked wilder here. Civilization was spottier. It had been years since he’d come down here since he never liked to leave the plant for long. When he noticed the remains of an old building near the marsh, he walked through frost-coated weeds to take a look at it. For all he knew, Pearl could be hiding here. His breath quickened as he wondered if finding her could be that easy. Maybe his tire had busted for a reason. “Hello!” he called out once he’d pushed past the lopsided door. A mouse squeaked from the corner but no one answered. He should have known finding her wouldn’t be this simple. The cold made him shiver inside his coat. Wherever Pearl was, he hoped she was someplace warm. As his gaze traveled across the broken concrete floor and wooden walls with gaps in them, he realized this was a bigger version of the shack on his island. Visions of making love to Pearl while the rain streamed down tugged at his mind until he forced them away. He ducked into a smaller room where he saw some rusted equipment. On the back side near the water, he found boat anchors, oyster tongs and even a winch. This place must have been a seafood plant. Excitement percolated in his veins, chasing away the chill. Why had this plant failed? The more he looked, the more he saw what it could be, not what it was now.
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Had his daddy felt this way when he’d started the business? Running Rockfield’s for so many years had been satisfying and interesting but Caleb had never been this excited before. After exploring everything in detail, he walked back to the station to see about his tire. “Did that used to be a seafood plant down there?” he asked the old colored man sitting in a rocking chair near the stove inside. “Yes, indeed, sir. Crabs and oysters.” Caleb thrust his hands into his coat pockets. “Well, what happened to it?” “Owner died some years back.” He looked down at his gnarled hands. “Used to work there myself before the rheumatism got me.” “Is there any trouble here with the Klan?” The old man looked at him warily from underneath the brim of his faded cap. “No, sir. No trouble like that here.” Further conversation revealed this was a peaceful and primarily colored community. “What about the government?” Caleb asked next. “Most of that’s up in Leonardtown. Say, you sure ask a lot of questions.” “I just have one more. Who would I see about buying that place?” After the man gave him the information he needed, Caleb picked up his repaired tire. He even sang a tune as he put the wheel back on the car. The future was clear to him now. He just had to find Pearl so she could be part of it.
***** Pearl sat up in the narrow bed she’d slept in, reaching for Caleb’s familiar warmth. This wasn’t Caleb’s bed, she reminded herself. She’d left him. Her hand reached for the ring she’d tied on a string around her neck. She squeezed it hard until the worst of the sadness passed and her eyes stopped burning. As she looked around the small room, she didn’t recollect where she was and how she’d gotten there. It came back to her bit by bit as the morning sun poured through the small window. She was in a spare room at the women’s college. Getting here had been easy enough. She’d hitched a ride with a farmer and had walked the short distance from the main road to this dormitory where the students lived and ate. A matronly colored lady named Berta Smith had told her there were no jobs available but had taken pity on her and let her spend the night out of the cold. After dressing, washing up and forcing herself to eat some oatmeal with the other dining room workers, Pearl went back to Berta’s office. “Did you think of anything else overnight?” Pearl asked. 217
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The kindly woman smiled sympathetically. “I’m afraid not, dear. Our positions are filled until the next term at least.” “When does the next term start?” Pearl asked. “January.” January? That was months away. It might as well be forever. “I’ll make some inquiries,” Berta told her. “Maybe I’ll hear of a housekeeping position. Check back in a few days.” Pearl nodded and stood up. “Thank you for your help.” The other woman stood too. “You seem like a refined young lady. Wherever it is you came from, can’t you go back?” Pearl shook her head. “Are you in some sort of trouble?” Pearl was sure the woman wouldn’t look at her so kindly if she told her the truth— that she’d been fucking a white man she wasn’t married to for months and had stirred up the Klan. “No. My mother just passed away.” In fact, this woman reminded her of her mother more than anyone she’d met since. How ironic that she hadn’t thought about her as much lately. The woman patted her shoulder. “Oh, I’m sorry. Please do check back. You might also try Point Lookout due south of here.” “Thank you,” Pearl replied. She put on her hat, hefted her suitcase, wishing it weren’t so heavy, and started walking. If she didn’t get a ride soon, she would have to throw out some dresses to lighten the weight. At least she’d wisely chosen to wear the expensive dress Caleb had given her. It made a good impression and kept her warm on this chilly morning. Unfortunately it also reminded her of him. It was a shame there were no jobs here, she thought as she looked at the stately dormitory with its wide front porch, white columns and grassy lawn surrounded by water. She could be safe and happy here. The air was chilly but at least the weather was good. She bit her lip as she headed toward the main road, wondering where she’d end up. This was even harder than moving in with the Johnsons after leaving Annapolis. At least they were family and had gotten her a home and a job. Now she had nothing. She turned around and looked north, tempted go back to Caleb. No! Despite how alone and scared she felt, Oyster Island was not safe anymore for either of them. She would find a new life for herself and the pain would eventually subside. Until then, she’d concentrate on getting through each day.
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When she heard a car park at the residence hall behind her, she turned around. A dozen emotions burst to life when she saw Caleb get out of the car. Damn! Aunt Wilma must have told him about the college. Run! Run before he sees you! But her feet refused to move. She couldn’t stop staring at him. His face was so serious and sad. Anyone looking at him would suspect he’d lost everything. Pearl stood still, camouflaged by the dappled morning sun filtering through the trees she stood among. Her heart fluttered wildly in her chest as the urges to both run toward Caleb and away from him battled inside her body. He looked in her direction with studied concentration as if claiming his surroundings. A hunter looking for a deer. Despite his losses, he still exuded the power that had attracted her to him. She studied his eyes, noticing the exact moment he recognized her. He ran toward her. His hat fell off but he didn’t even bother to pick it up. The next thing she knew, a pair of hard arms were around her, lifting her off her feet. Before she could react, his mouth covered hers, nipping and claiming. “Why, Pearl? Why did you leave?” He pinned her against the tree she stood in front of, gripping both sides of her face. “You shouldn’t have come looking for me,” she told him. “This is the best thing for both of us.” “Haven’t I already lost enough?” The rawness of his voice tugged something deep inside her. Had he cried again? Or screamed? “Yes.” She swallowed hard against her shallow, rapid breaths. “That’s why I left.” “Did you get a job here?” he asked. She raised her chin as much as his tight grip would allow. “No, but I’ll find one.” “Do you have any idea what you did to me?” he asked, a mere inch from her face. “I yelled your name in every room of that house, wondering where you’d gone and why.” All the pain she’d put him through was plain to see in his pale eyes. She closed her own eyes, unable to look at it any longer. Had she really done the right thing? Now she wasn’t so sure. “Then why make this harder?” she finally asked. “I refuse to live in Oyster Island with you and watch everything you built turn to dust.” He breathed hard. “I thought you loved me.” Sadness filled her chest until it ached. “I do love you. Don’t you see? That’s why I’m doing this.” “It must have taken enormous willpower to do what you’ve done. Your strength is something I’ve always admired,” he admitted, “but it can be damned inconvenient at times.”
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“You’re better off without me,” she insisted. “Let me be the judge of that,” he said. “Do you remember how I did the same to you on the island, pushing you away for your own good so you’d marry Jimmy?” A faint smile pulled at her lips. “I’d forgotten.” He smiled back. “Well, I haven’t. You made it plain you wanted to make your own decisions. So do I, damn it.” She pushed against his chest. “I can’t go back there and look over my shoulder all the time, wondering if they’ll kill us.” Caleb loosened his grip and his eyes suddenly looked peaceful and very blue. “Who said we have to go back?” She frowned. “What are you talking about? Oyster Island is your home.” “It’s true I’ve lived there all my life but it stopped being home when you left.” “Miss Wilson, is everything all right?” Berta walked toward them, her brow lined with concern. Caleb let go of Pearl and stood back. “Ma’am.” Pearl’s face burned with embarrassment as she wondered what went through Berta’s mind when she saw her pinned against a tree by a white man. “I’m glad you’re still here,” she told Pearl. “I just got a call from a lady whose mother has had a fall. She’ll need a caretaker for several months and I thought of you.” “That’s wonderful.” Pearl clasped her hands together. “Tell her I’ll take it.” Caleb looked at her with sad eyes. “Please don’t.” Berta fiddled with her hands, looking uncomfortable. “What should I tell her?” “Pearl, there’s something I need to show you,” Caleb told her. “If you still want to take this job afterward, I won’t interfere.” Pearl looked from one person to the other. Confusion tied her in so many knots she didn’t know what to do. “Please,” Caleb said, squeezing her hand as he turned toward Berta. “Ma’am, can you hold that job until the end of the day?” “I suppose I could, sir.” A waiter emerged from the dorm, calling Berta away and leaving Pearl and Caleb alone again. He tugged on her hand. “Come on. Let’s get in the car.” Her legs barely worked after standing frozen in front of that tree for so long. “You’re just going to take me back to Oyster Island.” A mysterious smile flashed beneath his moustache. “No, I’m not.” “Then where?” “You’ll see,” he replied.
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As he opened the car door for her, he looked serious. “I mean it, Pearl. If you still want to go your own way after this, I won’t stop you.” While he retrieved his dropped hat, she finally got into the car, realizing she was already losing the battle against Caleb. Breathing his scent and hearing his familiar waterman’s accent spoke to something primitive and deep inside her. He’d become part of her. Pearl hoped whatever he had to show her would be over with before she completely succumbed to his charms. A job and a new life were waiting for her and she had to take them for both their sakes.
***** Caleb’s hands shook so hard he could barely hold the steering wheel. Pearl was back in his car and hopefully his life. Part of him did want to take her back to Oyster Island and lock her up in his house. He noticed his ring was gone. Maybe she’d sold it for money. She’d never really accepted it anyway. She’d turned down every commitment he’d tried to make to her, including marriage. His chest felt tight as he wondered how she’d react to the ruins of the seafood plant. She’d probably tell him he was crazy and ask him to drive her back to the college so she could take that job. He had to at least try. At least he’d get to say goodbye to her on his own terms. Maybe he’d even spread her beautiful legs on the front seat of his car and take her one last time. The ruins were so out of the way he almost missed them. When he helped Pearl out of the car, she looked around. “What did you want to show me?” He pointed at the ruins. “That.” She squinted in the sun. “That? It’s a shambles. What is it?” “An old seafood plant. Come on.” He took her hand, feeling as lighthearted as a child as he pulled her toward the building. “What do you think?” he asked once they were inside. She walked around the main room. “It reminds me of the shack on that island.” He gripped his suspenders. “Exactly. What else?” “The small shucking room? Caleb, are you thinking what I think you’re thinking?” He grinned at her and tossed his hat in the air, oblivious of where it fell. “Yes. I have plans for this place.” Pearl tugged on her lower lip. “It needs a lot of work. What about your plant?”
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“I might sell it to Henry or at least let him run it.” He clasped her upper arms. “Do you remember how you told me your mama is watching over you? Well, my daddy is watching me too.” She smiled. “You look so happy.” “I am. This is how my daddy started out, with next to nothing. Running Rockfield’s was enjoyable but it was handed to me. It was never this exciting.” “Good luck,” she told him as she hugged him. “I know you’ll make it a success.” He looped his arms around her back and looked into her eyes. “Not without you. I found out we wouldn’t have the Klan or a mayor telling us how to live our lives. We could have children!” The possibilities flickered across her face. “Where would we live?” Caleb kissed her forehead. “In a shack at first. Later on, maybe you could do something with your piano playing. But don’t be mistaken, Pearl. Life would be very hard and primitive for a while. Can you accept that?” “I lived with the Johnsons, didn’t I?” “Your family might want to move here and help. I’ll need all the shuckers I can get. I’m going to name it Pearl Point, after you.” Excitement nipped at him like a dozen puppies, making his words run into each other. “What do you think of that?” Doubt passed over her face, hiding her smile. “What is it?” He had to get rid of her doubts even if it took all day. “You’re just doing this because of me.” She looked down. “It won’t work. Go home, Caleb, before you lose the rest of your money.” His arms tightened around her. “Don’t you see? I met you for a reason. You led me here. This is my destiny. You’re my destiny.” Worry still clouded her beautiful green eyes. He let go of her and paced. “I need to build my own company from the ground up the way my daddy did. I didn’t even realize how bored I’d become running the same old company year after year.” When she didn’t answer, he stopped to take a big breath. “Whether or not you choose to be a part of it, I’m doing this.” “You are? Are you sure?” she asked. “As sure as I can possibly be.” He watched as she fiddled with the back of her collar and pulled away a string with something suspended from it. “The ring,” he said. “You still have it.” She nodded as she took it off the string and handed it to him. Defeat dropped on him like a crushing weight, stealing his breath. So she’d chosen not to be part of his new life. Most women would do the same, he realized. Things would be very hard here. It was time to honor his word and let her go. Time to lose her all over again. 222
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“Ask me again,” she said. He frowned. “Ask you what?” She placed the ring in his hand. The round pearl pressed a nerve connected to his heart, making it ache. “Ask me,” she repeated. The blood in his head dropped to his feet when he realized what she meant. He took her left hand and sank to one knee on the broken concrete floor. “Pearl, will you accept this pearl I’m about to give you? Will you live, breathe and eat oysters with me for the rest of our lives?” He paused to take a breath. “Will you be my wife?” “Yes, Caleb. Yes!” He slid the ring onto her finger where it would stay forever and jumped up to scoop her into his arms. “I love you so much, Pearl,” he told her as he pressed excited kisses all over her face. “My Pearl. Finally.” “I love you too, Caleb.” Her fingers traced his jaw and across his moustache, filling his cock with desire. “I think we need to christen the place, don’t you, Mrs. Rockfield?” “Mrs. Rockfield,” she repeated. “I like the sound of that but there’s no bed here.” “That never stopped us before, did it?” He sat on a nearby crate and pulled his cock out of his pants. “Come here.” She looked around uncertainly. “It’s too cold to take my clothes off.” “You don’t have to. I’m going to slip my cock inside those loose panties of yours.” After lifting the hem of her dress and straddling his lap, she paused. “No condom?” “Not anymore.” His balls throbbed with anticipation as he dug his fingers into the soft fabric of her dress and smelled her arousal. “This time there’ll be nothing between us.” The soft warmth of her hand nearly undid him as she stroked his shaft but he needed her, all of her. So impatient he could barely work his fingers, he fumbled with the loose leg of her panties. Time seemed to come to a halt as he slid his aching cock past silk stockings and the gossamer fabric to her silk. A jagged cry ripped from both their throats as his bare flesh contacted her searing heat for the first time. Her frantic fingers scratched at his face. “God, Caleb, you feel so good.” He was so choked up with desire and the beauty of this moment he could barely answer. “S-so do you.” Words couldn’t even describe what her sweet, wet, silky flesh did to him. The crate beneath him scraped the floor with his hard, claiming thrusts. This was his woman and
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he could finally tell the world. No more sneaking around. No more of her feeling like a whore. No more pressure from people judging them. Each stroke washed away everything that had ever come between them. It was so cold they could see their breaths puffing out in frantic little clouds. The raw smell of rust and salt around them mixed with the wet spice of their bodies. Pearl’s smooth throat arched back against a backdrop of rough, raw shapes. It couldn’t have been more perfect. “I must be dreaming this,” she said as she planted kisses across his face. He wound his hands in her soft hair, tugging at the pins. “This is no dream. We can finally love each other whenever we want. Now scream for me, honey,” he said, panting. “No one will hear us or judge us. Yell like you’ve never yelled before.” And she did. Caleb realized he wasn’t the king of Oyster Island anymore but he finally had his pearl. That was all that mattered.
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Epilogue The next day, Caleb and Pearl drove back to Oyster Island to prepare for their move. She looked down at the ring on her finger, unable to believe she was finally married to Caleb. They’d managed to find a justice of the peace the night before and Berta even directed them to a small inn that accepted them as a couple. After breakfast, Caleb found the seller of the property he wanted and met with him. Pearl yawned for the hundredth time. Caleb had kept her up nearly all night making love to her but she had no complaints. “I still can’t believe it,” she said as she looked at him. He smiled back at her. “Neither can I.” But the sight of Oyster Island made her wonder if it had all been a dream. It was the same feeling she’d had when they’d returned from their tryst on the private island. Everything looked the same as if they’d never left yet so much had changed it was as if they’d been gone for years. St. Mary’s County felt like home already and she couldn’t wait to return and start their new lives. Caleb’s face grew paler and more serious when he parked at the plant. “A lot of our plans depend on Henry,” he said. “I hope he cooperates.” “Me too.” Pearl looked around as she walked through the plant, unable to believe she was now the owner’s wife. Who would ever have imagined it? The banging of construction competed with the normal sounds of shucking. It was a different world from the quiet ruins Caleb had showed her yesterday. Aunt Wilma dropped her shucking knife and rushed over to them. “You found her,” she said to Caleb before grabbing Pearl’s arms. “Child, you had us worried to death. Are you all right?” Pearl couldn’t hide the pride on her face as she nodded. “Aunt Wilma, I’m married.” Wilma’s mouth rounded with surprise. “Married!” “We’ll talk later,” Pearl promised. Henry emerged with wrinkled clothes and hair all askew. “Caleb, where the hell have you been?” Caleb glanced around. “We need to talk. Is there any privacy left in this place?” “I’ve set up a makeshift office over there.”
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They followed where he pointed to a corner of the plant where Caleb’s charred desk and some chairs now stood. The three of them sat down. “Henry, this is Mrs. Rockfield,” Caleb announced. The man looked just as surprised as Aunt Wilma had. “I’ll be damned. Congratulations!” Then he dug through some papers on the desk, stirring up a charred scent that reminded Pearl of that awful night of the fire. “I’ve got some things for you to sign but I can’t find them,” Henry muttered. “Darn it, Caleb. You left me here for a whole day with no word of when you were coming back.” Caleb folded his hands in his lap. “I’m sorry. It looks as if you’re doing a fine job, though.” The other man sighed as he lifted a stack of papers and looked under it. “I’m doing my best.” “How would you like to buy the place or at least manage it?” Caleb asked. The papers dropped, cascading all over the desk. “I don’t think I heard you right,” Henry said. “I want to start fresh the way Daddy did,” Caleb went on. “I found a place in St. Mary’s County I’m going to fix up.” Henry blinked repeatedly and then laughed. “You can’t be serious.” “Please say you’ll do it,” Caleb told him. “I can’t live in this town anymore.” “Imagine us expanding into another county. Daddy would like that.” Henry looked thoughtful and finally extended his hand. “Yeah, I’ll do it.” Pearl smiled too as she watched the brothers shake hands. After facing so much opposition, her relationship with Caleb had finally found peace. While the men ironed out the details, she told Wilma about their plans. “Sure, I could come down there and help,” she said. “Leroy’s sweet on a girl now and wants to marry her. After Charlie goes, I won’t be able to stand bein’ alone in that cottage.” “I’m glad,” Pearl told her. “Family should stay together.” The other woman nodded. “I’m real happy for you, child. Ain’t everybody finds a love like that.” “I know.” After they finished at the plant, Pearl and Caleb drove toward his house to pack what they needed for their new life. “Will the piano fit on top of the car?” She smiled, knowing very well it couldn’t. “To heck with the piano. I want the bed.” He threw his head back and chuckled. “We can send for them both later.”
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His laughter died when the mayor walked up to the driver’s side of the car. Pearl’s hands clenched into fists at her sides. Now she wished they’d never come back here. Everything in the house could stay there. They didn’t need it, just each other. “Well, if it isn’t Caleb Rockfield.” Mayor Carter glanced at Pearl and wrinkled his nose in distaste but this time she refused to feel humiliated. “You must be awfully busy rebuilding your plant,” the mayor continued. “You should have just let it burn to the ground and saved yourself the trouble.” Pearl gave Caleb a warning look when his jaw twitched. They’d already lost enough. The last thing she expected was to see him to smile. “That fire was the best thing that ever happened to me,” Caleb declared. “I’m finally a free man.” The other man glared at him, looking confused. “Now kindly step out of my way so I don’t run you over,” Caleb said politely. “My wife and I have places to go.”
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About the Author By day, Afton Locke is a logical programmer, but by night she swims in the mystical world of dreams. Intrigued by all things unexplained, like ghosts and karma, she delights in spinning dark, sensual stories that pull readers below the surface of everyday (and sometimes boring) life to the depths of forbidden fantasy. What else would you expect from someone with her moon in the 12th house/Pisces and Neptune in the 8th house/Scorpio? She lives in the mountains with her husband, dog and spooky black cat. Unlock your darkest fantasies with Afton Locke.
Afton welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email addresses on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.
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Also by Afton Locke Candelabra Cicada Peak Energy Seven Minutes of Seduction Sexual Energy
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