Desire Unleashed

by Layne Macadam

  “That’s enough you clowns, the girls might hear, and we don’t want Kathy thinking we’re poking fun at her,” Frosty cautioned, swallowing his own merriment.

  “Shoot, that little lady’s got the sexiest voice I’ve heard in a long time. I only wish it was my ear she was whispering sweet nothings into,” Wolf said with a wily look.

  “Yeah, you got that right, so how’d you get lucky Ice? Hot Tits was still at Shenanigans when you left.” Hawk was tactless but evidently over his snit.

  “Geezus Hawk, would you start thinking with the head on your shoulders and not the one in your pants. You don’t go calling your CO’s girl Hot Tits for chrissakes.” Frosty reprimanded while Wolf and Havoc pelted Hawk with their empty cans.

  “Long story.” Ice shook his head at Hawk and gave him the dumb-as-dog-shit look. “But let’s just say she really is my neighbor. Speaking of Kathy, she’s been in there a long time.”

  “Inside alone with Sarah, heck, she’s probably getting the third degree,” Hawk piped up.

  “That’s enough out of you Dumbo,” Frosty chastised, defending his wife. The rest of the group chuckled at the analogy.

  “Give it a rest will you, they’re not that fucking big.” Hawk was getting wound up again.

  “Best go in and rescue her then,” Frosty suggested, handing the cooking utensils over to Hawk. “Don’t let anything burn or Sarah will have your nuts as well as mine on the chopping block,” he warned.

  Ice followed Frosty into the sunny kitchen. “Slick move Ice, removing the heat straight off you. Will that kid ever learn not to bite I ask you?”

  “What’s so funny? We could hear you all the way in here,” Sarah asked as they entered the kitchen.

  “Nothing really, just the boys razing Hawk up,” he informed them.

  “I hope you didn’t hurt his feeling with your insensitive introduction,” Kathy admonished.

  “Don’t let it worry you honey, you have to be thick skinned if you want to survive in this outfit,” Sarah stated as Frosty encircled her large belly from behind and nuzzled her neck.

  “You doing okay, Sweet Pea?”

  “I’ll be better in six weeks when this little one makes an appearance,” Sarah replied, turning into Frosty’s arms and lifting her face for his kiss.

  From across the room Kathy locked eyes with him. Happy families. Yep, that’s what she wants for sure. He could see it revealed in her expression as she watched the couple together. What the hell was he thinking bringing her here?

  * * * *

  A knock on the door heralded the arrival of Sarah’s parents, George and Phyllis. Following close on their heels were Frosty’s brother David, his wife Julie, and their four kids.

  The youngsters chorused a greeting as they came dashing into the kitchen. “Where’s Meredith and Mandy?” one asked.

  “Upstairs washing up for lunch,” Sarah said, kissing each child in turn. The children rushed upstairs in search of their cousins while the adults exchanged greetings.

  “This is Ice’s friend, Kathy,” Sarah announced for the second time that day. That got their attention. The new arrivals paused in their chatter then hit Kathy with a barrage of questions. Ice should have expected it. They were a nosey bunch, and in all the years he’d been attending Frost family functions this was the first time he’d brought a woman.

  With the intros over, George was anxious to check on the barbeque. “There’s a real art to cooking steak,” he said. “And I can see young Hawk getting up to turn them every few minutes, so if David and I don’t get out there and rescue them, we’ll all be eating shoe leather for lunch.”

  “I’ll come too, love. I’ve just noticed Wolf in the yard, and it’s been an absolute age since we caught up. You’d better come along too dear. I want to get to know you better.” Phyllis said ushering Kathy out, but hesitated at the door seemingly just remembering Sarah’s condition. “Sorry pet, do you need me to do anything?”

  “No Phyllis, you go ahead and chat to lover boy, I’ve got it covered,” Frosty joked with his mother-in-law.

  “In that case I’ll go too, I haven’t seen Wolf since … gosh, I can’t remember when.” Julie laughed and scampered off after the others.

  “Quite a fan club Wolf’s got.”

  “Mmm, if I wasn’t so pregnant, I’d run for President.”

  “Over my dead body, Sweet Pea.”

  “So Ice, how long have you and Kathy been dating?” Frosty’s curiosity got the better of him.

  “We’re not dating, she lives next door.”

  “But you’re screwing her right?”

  “Patrick, that’s none of your business.” Sarah gasped. “But while we’re on the subject I’m warning you Ice.” She paused from chopping onions and waved the lethal knife she was using to emphasize her point. “Kathy’s not like the others, particularly not like what’s her face.”

  Ice schooled his face into a blank mask. “What’s her face?”

  “You know who I mean, the horny tart who was part contortionist that you got mixed up with. Kathy’s a nice girl and she’s had a real rough time of it lately, so don’t go breaking her heart.”

  Frosty leaned over and nuzzled her neck. “I love it when you talk dirty.”

  Sarah shooed him with her hand. Ice eyeballed Frosty in total disbelief. “You told her about Cheryl?”

  “Of course he did, he tells me everything, he can’t help himself.”

  “What can I say, when she takes me in hand I can’t resist, I tell her whatever she wants to hear. The Navy could use her as a secret weapon.” Frosty came to his own defense.

  “How rough a time are we talking here?” Ice asked, although it was a bit late to warn him off now.

  As Sarah relayed Kathy’s story, he was astounded at how easily she had gleaned so much information in such a short time. He’d known Kathy intimately for over a week, and they’d shared many erotic moments, whereas Sarah had only just met her and already knew her life story.

  “Don’t you hate it when Hawk’s right?” Frosty quipped as they loaded the trays with plates, cutlery, and the onions that Sarah had just sliced.

  “Hell yeah, I can’t believe Sarah uncovered so much about Kathy that quickly.”

  “I told you she’s good at ferreting out information when she’s on a mission, and by the looks of it, you my man are her latest mission.” Frosty clapped him on the back and chuckled. Ice groaned as they picked up the trays and made their way outside to join the others.

  * * * *

  Wolf leaped to his feet and greeted Phyllis and Julie with a hug and a kiss. Hawk relinquished the cooking utensils to George, Havoc dipped his hat, and they all drifted into easy conversation. Kathy gathered from their camaraderie that they’d all been friends for some time. It reminded her of a typical Ellis family get together, plenty of food, lots of laughter, noise, and good-natured ribbing. Phyllis, Julie, and David, intrigued by the playhouse, went off to inspect it. George took over the cooking, and Havoc, Hawk, and Wolf settled back into their seats.

  Kathy realized the guys were curious. It was obvious Shane hadn’t mentioned she and he were dating, so why had he brought her here?

  Hawk shot to his feet the minute she approached. “Hey Kathy, have my seat.” He offered the spot between Havoc and Wolf that he’d just vacated.

  “Thanks.”

  “My pleasure,” Hawk replied, tilting his lips in a lopsided grin.

  Kathy sat and smoothed her cotton skirt over her knees and crossed her ankles, acutely aware of getting the once over by the three men. She knew how she must appear to them, an enigma, demure and wholesome, like Liz said, the girl-next-door type, the complete antithesis of Shane’s usual type, so of course they were curious.

  “To what part of the South do you owe that sexy little accent?” Wolf asked. She recognized him as the one who’d winked and saluted her that night at the club when she’d first spotted Shane.

  “I was born in Lafayette, but spent most of my life g
rowing up in Baton Rouge. What about you, where are you from?”

  “Me, I call the Big Apple home, a city boy born and bred.”

  “And what about you Havoc, where does your accent originate from?”

  “I’m from the land Down Under, a cattle station in Queensland, to be precise. We run a couple of hundred hectares.”

  “So tell me fellas—how’d y’all come by those nicknames?”

  “Well Kathy, as for myself, having the reputation of being a ladies’ man, however false that may be, I was given the pseudonym of Wolf, and of course the Iceman’s always the same, cold and calculating, never lets his emotions show or get in the way, nothing ever fazes him. In all the years we’ve worked together, I’ve never known him ever to lose his cool. Havoc’s just what the name implies, he’s always causing mayhem wherever he goes, and the young fella here’s got the eyes of a Hawk.”

  “Yeah the kid’s good,” Havoc informed her. “He holds the base record for long range rifle shot and could shoot the ears of a rattler from half a mile away.”

  “Oh, I didn’t know snakes had ears.”

  “Well honey, they’re not that big.” Wolf’s eyes twinkled with merriment, and Havoc chuckled.

  “Did I say something funny?”

  “Ignore those morons Kathy, they’re not laughing at you, it’s me and my big ears,” Hawk explained seriously, shuffling from one foot to the other.

  She felt for the young guy and tried to commiserate. “Well, they’re not that big.”

  “All the better to hear you with my dear.” Wolf squeezed her arm, and when he winked, she recognized her blunder. A tide of scarlet washed over her as too late she realized that she’d mimicked Wolf word for word. Havoc almost choked on his beer and darted a glance at Hawk who had turned a shade that seriously clashed with his hair. She mouthed a silent apology to Hawk, but the laughter around her was so infectious that she dissolved into helpless peals, and two seconds later Hawk good-naturedly joined in.

  *

  George looked up from the steaks he was cooking, Phyllis, David, and Julie stopped their conversation midsentence, and all eyes turned to the frivolity taking place across the lawn.

  Wolf’s hand on Kathy’s arm drew Ice’s eyes like a magnet as he sauntered down the yard with Sarah and Frosty. With a grim snarl, he placed the tray he was carrying on the table and voiced what the others were thinking.

  “What’s all the commotion about?”

  Although he’d directed the question to Wolf, Kathy answered. “It was nothing Shane, you had to be here.”

  Wolf sent him a smug grin, prompting his sharp reply. “Well, I’m here now so spit it out?”

  Kathy’s smile evaporated, she shot him a perplexed stare, but he kept his expression fixed.

  “Forget it mate, it’s like the lady said—you had to be here.” Havoc got to his feet and took the empty glass from Kathy’s hand. “Would you like a refill, love?” His voice was low and mellow.

  “Yeah thanks, that would be nice.”

  As Havoc passed him on his way to the kitchen, he hiked a brow as if to say “knock it off asshole, you’re acting like a horse’s ass.”

  Ice stared at Havoc’s retreating back suitably chastised. He’d just snapped at Kathy, for no rational reason and was feeling like a damn idiot. Dropping into the seat beside her, he tried to make amends. “Sorry Kat.”

  “Is something wrong?”

  “No babe, everything’s fine.”

  “Foods on, come and get it while it’s hot.” Sarah’s timely announcement and ten noisy kids scrabbling for seats at the table saved him from elaborating further.

  Lunch was a rambunctious affair. After everyone had eaten their fill, the women cleared the dishes. Kathy tirelessly kept the kids entertained for hours, and the men set to work on finishing the playhouse.

  * * * *

  By late afternoon, all the guests had left except for Kathy, Wolf, and Ice. They were gathered in the sitting room while Meredith and Mandy played contentedly on the floor with Cindy, she’d been a definite hit.

  “You guys might as well stay for dinner, we’ve plenty of leftovers, and I’ll just do some fries to go with them.” Sarah wiggled to the edge of her seat.

  “No, Sweet Pea, you’ve had a busy day and you’re tired, you just sit there and look beautiful, I’ll do it.”

  “And I’ll help,” Kathy volunteered. “Just show me where everything is, Frosty.”

  “What can I do?” Wolf asked, trailing after Kathy and him.

  “Here, start peeling.” He placed a heap of potatoes on the kitchen bench. Kathy picked up a knife and started to help.

  “Tell me Kathy, do you water ski?” Wolf asked, slicing the skinned potatoes.

  “Good heavens no, I’ve never even been on a boat.”

  “What, not ever?” Wolf’s astonishment was hard to miss.

  “No, I’ve always been scared of the water, but Shane’s helping me overcome it by teaching me to swim.”

  “Is he now? Strange, he never mentioned it.”

  “Yes, Shane took my friend Liz and I to the beach last Sunday, we spent a lovely day together. Afterward he dropped Liz at the airport and we went to dinner.”

  “You don’t say.”

  “Hey, I’ve got an idea,” Wolf snapped his fingers. “How about you come skiing with me and the guys next Saturday, weather permitting of course? It’ll be fun and I’ll even teach you to drive the boat if you like.”

  “Wow, that sounds terrific. Thanks, I’ll look forward to it all week.”

  Frosty eyed Wolf across the counter unable to conceal his amusement. Wolf hoisted an eyebrow and grinned back. Ice was going to be well and truly pissed by the invitation, but heck, that was half the fun of it.

  Frosty had known Ice a lot of years, knew him better than any other man and from the way he was eyeballing Kathy today, right down to his little dummy spit, it was clear to all present he was keen on the girl, even if it wasn’t apparent to the great man himself yet.

  When it came to women, Ice kept his affairs businesslike. Today was unprecedented and quite a revelation. Frosty guessed Ice might already be regretting bringing Kathy to their inner sanctum. He always claimed to be a loner, but deep down Frosty suspected that to be bullshit. It was only a matter of time before the right woman came along and melted the Iceman’s heart. Still, Wolf’s invitation was going to get Ice’s dander up and set the cat among the pigeons.

  “How’s it going in here, can I do anything to help?” Speak of the devil and he appears. Ice intruded on the domestic bliss.

  “No buddy it’s all sorted.” Wolf dismissed Ice with a conceited grin.

  “Shane, Wolf’s invited me to go skiing next weekend.”

  That was bound to get a reaction.

  “The hell you say.”

  Yep, it did.

  Ice’s hackles rose, his eyes narrowed, and he sent Wolf a filthy glare. One just had to wonder what thoughts were running amuck in the Iceman’s head. Frosty waited for him to say something more, but Sarah waddled into the room and asked, “Who’s going skiing?”

  “All of us, if you’re up to it, that is.” Wolf answered her.

  “Cool, I’ll bring a picnic basket.” Sarah offered.

  “We will too.” Kathy said.

  The smirks on Sarah and Wolf’s faces renewed Ice’s scowl. Kathy’s use of the possessive plural had not gone unnoticed.

  * * * *

  Kathy and Ice were the last to leave. The ladies sauntered along the sidewalk ahead of the men to where the pickup was parked. Ambling half a dozen steps behind, Frosty voiced his opinion. “I like her.”

  “Well don’t.”

  “Too late.”

  “Then get over it, she’s temporary.”

  “You’ve got to be kidding?”

  “You know I don’t do long term.”

  “Well pal, I’d think long and hard about it if I were you, because that little lady won’t be around forever, she’s a keeper.�
�

  “I’m not in the market for a wife.”

  “What the hell are you waiting for? She’s smart, she’s charming, and she’s hot. You say the word and anyone of those guys here today would take her off your hands in a heartbeat, and I bet they wouldn’t act gun shy.”

  “Drop it, Frosty.”

  Frosty obliged. “Are you still scheduled to leave at oh-eight-hundred tomorrow?”

  “Yep, and back in at twenty-one-hundred Friday.”

  “Better you than me champ.”

  “You’re joshing me right?”

  “Nah, lately I’ve been toying with the idea of tossing it in and perhaps starting up my own security business. Sarah’s all for it of course, she’s never asked me to quit, but I know it’s harder for her and the kids when I’m away.”

  “You’re serious?”

  “Yep, and I could use a partner if you’re interested.”

  Frosty could have knocked him over with a feather; his announcement was so left field. Ice had always thought Frosty and he were lifers.

  “Thanks for the offer, but you know how I feel.”

  “Yeah, I do, but I thought I’d just toss it out there anyway. Good luck bud for tomorrow, and while you’re away do yourself a favor and give some thought to what I said about Kathy.”

  “Yeah, I won’t sleep for thinking on it.”

  Ice was saved from copping any more flack by reaching the pickup. When he pressed the remote the lights flashed and he opened the door. Kathy climbed aboard and he edged her over to the middle seat, as he turned to walk to the driver’s side, he was confronted with Frosty’s self-righteous amusement but wisely didn’t rise to the bait. Instead, he zipped his trap and climbed into the cab thinking Frosty could be a sanctimonious prick at times.

  The engine roared to life and Kathy called good-bye as he pulled away from the curb.

  “I had a nice time,” she said. “I like your friends. You all seem more like family, and wasn’t it thoughtful of Wolf, to include me next week?”

  “Yeah, one big happy thoughtful family, that’s us,” he muttered under his breath.