“All that flogging, you’re getting old.” Jeff punched David on the shoulder. “Right, let’s check everything out and discover if our aged minds can notice anything untoward and then get back. I want to see if Kath’s feeling any better. I owe her for the fright she gave me.”
Twenty minutes later, they admitted defeat. As far as either of them could tell, the cottage looked as it should. Perhaps someone had lit a fire, but the ashes were old.
“Bloody hell, we’re no James Bonds or that bloke Kath and Jess drool over when they think we’re not around.” Jeff coughed to try to get the musty, sooty taste of disuse out of his mouth. The dust seemed thick enough to have rested since Lachy’s wife’s last visit, but how could they really know that? As no one lived there, those visits weren’t frequent, and were really just a way of showing the local youth that it wasn’t unvisited and unneeded. If Donny hadn’t shown his face—or turned a blind eye to anything going on—there was no way of finding out. A few empty cans of super strength lager and a plethora of dog ends looked as if they’d been there since the cottage was built. With one last poke around and a mouth that assumed he’d eaten dirt and it disapproved, Jeff gestured to the door.
“We need to be a bit more aware around here whilst all this shit is going on and the cottage is empty. Gah, let’s go and have a drink and a shower and not necessarily in that order.”
“I thought Finn was taking over Keeper’s Cottage?” David said as they drove back toward Diomhair.
“She is, but Lachy’s wife was worried about her being out there by herself. Though Lachy tells me Alexina is a bit of a worrywart, and Finn is about to start renovating it how she wants it. Now, I wonder if it’s wise.”
Davis shrugged. “Well, as you’ve made a point of telling me, it’s her life.”
“It’s my estate though.”
“And her employment. Which I guess came with accommodation, Jeff. You’re always saying we don’t give the ladies the credit they deserve, so wait and see, eh? Let’s face it, we can’t offer her accommodation in the castle.”
There was nothing Jeff could say to that. They began to talk about the club, and within minutes they’d arrived at the castle, garaged the car and went their separate ways.
Jeff took the stairs to his apartment two at a time. Even though Kath had been adamant she was fine, her bout of sickness was so unusual, he was uneasy.
Kath was sitting on the sofa with a book in her hand and a basin by her side. The sight made his stomach churn and its muscles knot. He knew he shouldn’t have left her, but spoken to the joiner over the phone instead and told him to right his wrongs and be quick about it.
“Hon? Are you still being sick? That’s it. I’m taking you to the doc’s.” He took out his mobile. “What’s the number?”
“Eh?” Kath looked puzzled then her eyes brightened. “Oh, no, no, I’m not being sick. What gave you that idea?” She stood up and wound her legs around his waist so her arse rested on his cock, and hung on with her arms around his neck. Once settled, she gave a wicked grin and wriggled around just enough to make him harden and press the zipper of his jeans to test its strength. “Ohh well, now then, what do I feel? I bet he’s ready to play, Sir.” She paused and wrinkled her nose. “What on earth have you been up to? You stink, and your hair is all cobwebby and covered in something nasty. It can’t be the passage, ’cause it’s all clean, and anyway Jess told me you never got the hang of opening it.”
Jeff scowled. Not being able to work the release mechanism to the indoor entrance to the no-longer-secret passage was a sore point. “Low blow, woman. Cruel and heartless.” He rubbed his dirty hand over her nose.
“Phew.” Kath wrinkled said nose and blew her breath out noisily. “Maybe we won’t play yet.”
“That’s bratty and not very subbie,” Jeff pointed out and held her tight as she snuck her hands down the back of his jeans and teased his ass. The squeeze of his butt cheeks was enough to make him smile and his cock stretch the denim that covered it once more. The way Kath coughed theatrically as she disturbed a faint cloud of dust made him mock-scowl. She giggled. Jeff looked to one side and remembered something. “And that is what?”
He gestured to the bowl. She looked at where he was pointing then up at his face. Her expression was both contrite and humorous, if that was possible “Oh lordy, sorry. Look.”
With an agility Jeff always admired, Kath bent backwards without releasing her grip on his waist, picked the bowl up with one hand and held it up for him to inspect. Jeff took it from her and stared.
“Peanuts? You don’t like peanuts.” The bowl was full of empty nutshells.
Kath straightened up and wriggled on him once more. “It seems I do.” She grinned, still all bratty-like and his cock twitched. Down, boy, it’s not playtime. Jeff still wasn’t convinced Kath was truly feeling fine. She still had pain lines across her forehead, and seemed paler than usual. As much as he wanted to be convinced it was the blood leaving her head as she straightened back up, he wasn’t.
“You still look under the weather. And you’re right, I smell. I need a shower.”
“I’m fine, really. And I’m getting used to the smell. So, how did it go?” She unwound her legs, stood up and ran her fingers around the hem of his shirt. “With the joiner?”
“Window frame made wrongly.” He removed her hands from his nipples. “Stop that, pet. We might not be playing, but neither are we playing. So stop trying to get me to jump you. It isn’t happening. You still look as if a gentle breeze will knock you over. I reckon it’s lunchtime. Do you fancy pepperoni pizza?” It was her favorite. “With extra cheese and peppers?”
To his amazement, Kath gulped, and lost what little color she had. “Er, no, maybe I’m not feeling that well. You get yours, I’ll have another cup of tea and some toast.”
Jeff put his hand under Kath’s chin and forced her to look him in the eye.
Her gaze skittered about and she sighed. “I still feel yucky. Maybe I’ll go back to bed.”
He tightened his hold a little bit. “And maybe you’ll tell me what’s really wrong?” What if it was terminal? For the first time in many a year, Jeff felt deep, gut-churning fear. Fear that he might lose Kath before they had time to explore all the things they’d talked about. Worry that she might be in pain. And sadness he’d never asked her to marry him. Oh, she was collared, and committed, but they’d never seen the need for the white dress, morning suit and piece of paper.
“Pet?” He hardened his tone on purpose and watched Kath swallow. She slid to her knees and put her hands on his feet. That was strange, as they’d never been ones for something like that. Any protocol in private tended to be of the cock sucking kind.
“Sir?”
“Now tell me. Are you ill, as in do you have something terminal?” His mouth was dry and his skin damp. Jeff had never really experienced the cold, metallic tang of fear before then, but as he waited for Kath’s answer he did. It made his jaw clench and his head ache.
As he watched Kath bite her lip, he wanted to shake her. Make her speak and tell him. Instead he narrowed his eyes and stared.
“Well in a sense it could be, hey! No, dammit, no. Shit, not like that.” Kath scrambled to her feet and grabbed hold of him when he swayed. “Bollocks don’t you dare faint, ’cause you’re too bloody heavy for me to hold up. I’m trying to be funny, lighten the situation. Terminal as there’s an end to it.” She pulled him to her and stroked the locked, tight muscles on the back of his neck.
What the hell is she talking about? “Tell me now if you don’t want your ass paddled in punishment not pleasure.”
She paled, really lost the little color she had and her hands tightened on his shoulders. “Sorry, Sir.” Her hands slid down his body and her knees sagged as she began to assume the position—or pass out. Jeff stopped her by putting his hands under her arms.
“No need for that, love.”
She pouted and giggled. “But I want to. You owe me. I owe you a r
elease at least.” However, Kath straightened, resumed her previous posture and leaned against him. “Maybe in the shower?” She walked her fingers around his waist and took a firm hold of his butt. The position brought his crotch right up against her pussy, and of course his body responded. Jeff ignored his flesh and concentrated on hers. His dick was up and down like an umbrella in April.
“Just fucking tell me why you’re eating peanuts, throwing up and look like…like…like my mum did when she was expecting my sister.” He fumbled behind him and flopped into the seat Kath had vacated and pulled her onto his lap, the dust, muck and sweat forgotten. His mind was full of scary, half-remembered, wanting to have forgotten pictures of his mum having to spend so long in bed. Of him and Jess at nine years old, tiptoeing around her and sitting on her bed reading her stories. That part made him smile. She’d been so pleased for them to share school stories and their dreams with her. Then the minuscule wailing baby he and Jess gazed on with awe in their eyes. Sadly that hadn’t been for long. One rainy day, they’d rushed in from school, scattering raindrops, pushing each other playfully to get to Alaria for the first cuddle. The cot had been empty. They’d been told Alaria had gone to heaven. Neither of them could understand why. She was their sister, and they wanted her. God had got enough people, surely? Soon, there’d been the awful, terrible, day when he’d stood in front of a tiny coffin and watched their mum in tears. Their dad, stern faced and with unshed tears in his eyes, had held on to them tightly, as if he were afraid one of them would follow their sister. For a long time Jeff was frightened to close his eyes in case it did happen. Once they were older, Jess had admitted she’d been the same.
He hadn’t thought about those awful months for a long time. It had taken years for them to recover as a family.
“Were you going to tell me anytime soon?” If eyes could spark, he reckoned his were at that moment.
He saw stars as her fist connected with his chin, and his neck snapped back so fast he experienced the jerk it gave him right down to his toes. For someone not feeling up to par, she packed a mean punch. And I deserved it.
“Shit, love.” Jeff wriggled his chin, to reassure himself it didn’t crunch or send him screaming. “That so didn’t come out as I meant it to. It’s if you are pregnant, well I want to be part of it all. After all I was in on the beginning, I want to be there in the middle and at the end.” No not the end, don’t say that. “From you throwing up to him or her doing the same.”
And spend the next years remembering Alaria and that coffin.
“I can’t lose you as well.”
Chapter Three
Kath licked her sore hand and debated whether it was worth hurting the other one on his balls. It was purely the stricken look on his face, and his last few words that stopped her from doing her best to emasculate Jeff and walk out. She didn’t think she’d ever seen such a scared and lost look on anyone’s face before.
“Why would you lose me? Unless you spout crap like you just did? I think you need to talk and talk fast.” Her hand went to her neck and she rubbed her finger over her leather choker with its silver heart-shaped padlock. “You’ve never mentioned a sister.” She didn’t tell him that Jess had many years ago. He hadn’t. “I thought this was love and commitment. Not oh shit, accuse and don’t listen. I thought as my Dom you loved and cherished and protected and taught and helped and… Oh fuck it, Jeff. Yes, okay, I think I’m pregnant, but I was waiting for you to come home so I could do the peeing on the stick. Then we could celebrate or commiserate together. Though, in my mind, it’s celebrations if I am and commiserations if I’m not. You? Well, who on earth knows?”
He dipped his head for a second, shuddered then drew himself up to his full height. For a brief second she was treated to the misery and something indefinable that flickered in his eyes, and he blinked.
“I had a younger sister. Mum was ill all through the pregnancy. When she was born, she should have been a twin. Oh, I was too young to know all the ins and outs, but Alaria died at three months. Unexplained death, and then on top of that, Dad told us years later, Mum had been ill all the time when she was pregnant with Jess and me. So I saw the bowl, saw how awful you looked and by God did I freak. I couldn’t bear anything to happen to you, love.”
He swallowed hard and gripped his fingers in his palms so tightly, his knuckles showed white. Kath bet he’d have crescent shaped scars on them. She pried open his hands. “Sir, I do need to pee, and I’ve been holding off.” Kath used the title on purpose.
He laughed and straightened. “You do that and I’ll be buying you cranberry juice again. Let’s find out then if we’re going to hear the patter of tiny feet.”
She giggled. “Or the rattle of tiny handcuffs?”
“Not a chance, pet, go pee. And if you are pregnant, we need to rethink our playtimes.”
Kath wasn’t sure she liked the sound of that. Oh she wouldn’t do anything ever to harm their baby, but something in Jeff’s tone hinted at more than merely no kink. However, until she’d done the test, and been to the doctor’s if necessary, there was no point in speculating.
“I’m going, but I’ll bring the thingy out here for us both to look, eh?”
He patted her bum in a friendly non-sexual way—damn it, I just want to jump him, well, if I wasn’t desperate for a pee—and nodded.
“I’ll have a quick shower, first then I’ll be waiting,” Jeff said. “Do you want a drink of water or anything?”
“Argh, nooo, don’t mention liquid.” She dashed to the loo with his laughter in her ears.
* * * *
“Well then.” Kath held the stick exactly as the instruction leaflet directed. By the un-peed on end and downward. “It says three minutes and there’ll be a line or a cross in the wee indicator box. I thought it was two blue lines or a big pink circle, but not with this one. Mind you, some of the others might be different.” She stared at the box, willing something to happen. “Help, I’m rambling. Maybe I should go and…” Jeff put his finger over her mouth. She gave into temptation and licked it.
“Enough.” But he didn’t pull his finger back. Kath gave it another quick swipe with her tongue. Jeff raised his eyebrows.
“Others? How many do you need?”
Kath pushed her hair behind her ear—with the hand not holding the stick—blushed and shrugged.
He lifted his finger and stroked her cheek. The soft touch began a trail of gentle tingles across her skin. “Well, I guess one is all you need really, but I thought what if it was faulty? So I decided I’d better get a couple of spares, just in case.”
Jeff opened his eyes wide.” You bought another two just in case? Why not go to the doc’s instead?”
“Well, I want to be sure first. And no, I didn’t buy another two.” Kath took a deep breath and giggled with nerves. “I bought another four. Odd numbers are better eh? Oh, God, look, it’s doing something and oh, oh…” She sat on the settee with a thump. “You look. I can’t take it in.” She held the stick out to Jeff who took the end so carefully it could have been primed and ready to go off dynamite. Kath shut her eyes and mentally crossed her fingers.
“What did you say happens?” Jeff’s voice was hoarse.
Was that a good sign or not? “If it’s positive, you get a blue cross. Gah, it sounds like an animal charity or a half-price sale in the shops.”
“Well, let’s hope to hell it’s got nothing to do with animals, and that the sale is on maternity clothes. Hello, mummy.”
Kath opened her eyes to see him wave the stick in the air.
“We’re going to be parents, Kath. Oh, Lord, we played, you cried red.” The color drained from his face as he dropped the stick and knelt on the floor next to Kath. “Did I harm either of you?” His shoulders shook, and his breathing was uneven.
Jeff on his knees in front of her gave Kath the strangest feeling. She looked down at his dark hair, with droplets of water still on the ends. Would their child have his hair, or hers? The thought sent
a strange shivery quiver through her. Their child, a miniature Jeff or Kath, with its own identity, strengths and weaknesses. Someone to be responsible for. The sense of awe grew.
“That’s my place there, but in front of you.” She gestured to the floor. “And don’t talk crap. I cried red because my boobs were so sensitive, and it wasn’t a good pain. A few swats on my bum aren’t going to hurt him or her. Baby is all cocooned deep inside me.” Or, oh wow, babies. She lowered her lashes and peered out from under them. “You know it’s believed that sex is good during pregnancy, and, well, I’m all sort of needing my itches scratched.”
Jeff shook his head. “And where did you get that gem from? I thought it wasn’t safe until after three months?”
“Ha, and where did you get that gem from, Doctor?” Kath pushed at his shoulders and Jeff rolled back onto the floor. “I could just jump you?”
Jeff stretched out on the carpet and wiggled his fingers. “And I could just say Stinking Bishop cheese.”
She actually baulked. “That’s cruel. But hey.” Kath slid forward off the seat and onto the floor in front of Jeff. “We’re going to be parents. To a baby.”
“Thank goodness, for a minute I thought you were going to say to a dog, or a goldfish or something. So what next?” Jeff extended one arm, snagged a cushion from a chair behind him and tucked it under his head. It was, Kath knew, one of his favorite ways of recharging. This time though, she had other ideas. With elaborate care, she rested her chest on top of him and knelt on her knees. “Hey soon you’ll be moaning about the weight on you.”
Secrets Uncovered Page 3
