Flotilla_The Temp

by Erik Schubach

  I felt smug and satisfied when Reid's eyes virtually popped out of hir head as ze recognized more than a handful of faces that graced covers of so many London Harmony album covers. I said, “Come on, there will be time for introductions after, right now we better grab a slice or two and find some good seats before they are all taken.

  Ze just nodded absently, tearing hir eyes off the people milling about and talking and joking with each other. “After what?”

  I shushed hir. “Shush... Just come on, you'll see.”

  We grabbed some paper plates, and I put a large slice of pepperoni and olives on my plate. Reid piled three various slices on hirs. Lord, I wish I had hir metabolism. Ze could eat like a teenage boy and never gain any weight.

  I pulled hir over to a wicker couch by the rail facing the marina. We curled in, placing out plates on the little wicker table in front of us and I grabbed one of the many throw blankets that were everywhere around the various seating areas and pulled it over us. I curled in even tighter to the overly sexy looking imp, placing my head on hir shoulder for a moment then giving hir a peck on the lips before grabbing our slices. I winced at Lenore somewhere in the crowd clearing her throat. Damn, she has to have bloody kiss radar or something.

  Between taking a big bite of Hawaiian pizza and opening our cans of cola, Reid asked, “So what exactly is this Thursday Night? Curiosity is killing me. If that happens, you'll be stuck dating a corpse, and I'm pretty sure that society frowns upon that.”

  I nudged my chin toward June Harris-West as she stepped to the rail and looked around at everyone with her winning smile and that commanding presence that made you sit up and take notice. “Thanks for coming tonight everyone, and thank you Tabby, as always, for hosting our little get together.”

  The two exchanged nods and smiles with each other, then June said as she looked over at Vanessa with all the love in the world conveyed in a single glance to her. “We have a special treat as tonight's selection. A throwback to my first Thursday Night with my girl. So sit back and enjoy.”

  With that all the lights on all the boats shut off, the only light was at the marina office as everyone clapped. When it quieted down, I pointed to the decks of the other boats for Reid to see all of the occupants out on lawn chairs, facing the office.

  Ze looked excited, knowing the secret was about to be revealed and I just laid my head on hir shoulder as a large white sheet unfurled between some large trees behind the office. Then the clicking sound of an old film projector wound up to speed and light flickered a moment on the makeshift screen and the Sound of Music flickered into existence.

  I whispered to a super smiley Reid, “Welcome to Thursday Night. It is always a musical." Ze shared a smile with me and pulled me closer, tucking the blanket around me and then turned back to the screen with a look of wonder on hir face.

  As I lay there, so close to the person who made me feel safe just being myself, I realized how genuinely happy I was, and I never wanted the movie to end. I could have just lived right there in hir arms and want for nothing.

  I looked up meekly into Ried's eyes when ze looked down at me, and I said in amazed wonder, “I love you.”

  Reid swallowed and nodded slightly, then looking away ze whispered back, “I love you too, Tintin."

  Was that a tear in hir eye? I gave hir hir dignity and looked back to the screen, laying my head on hir chest as ze pulled me even closer to hir, as if in a need to be one. I sighed in utter contentment and watched the classic movie, caught up in the feel and sound of hir heart pounding against my cheek.

  I awoke to someone gently shaking my shoulder. I groaned and cuddled into the amazingly comfortable pillow, my mind protesting being taken from such a peaceful slumber. My eyes snapped open to Reid whispering, “Wake up sleepyhead, the movie is over. You snore like a squirrel.”

  I grinned happily, inhaled hir scent deeply then sat up, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes and stretching as I asked, “How do you know what a squirrel's snoring sounds like?”

  Ze was infinitely amused as ze grinned and capitulated, “Fair point. But still, you snore.”

  I about leapt overboard when Paya's face appeared in front of me with her cute grin, “It's true, we all heard.”

  I sputtered, “Bloody hell woman! You about... gave... me... a..." I trailed off, and my head fell when I realized everyone was watching us with amused looks on their faces. I murmured into the crook of Reid's neck, “Feck me sideways. Can I go hide in a hole and die somewhere?”

  Reid said matter of factly, “There we go, circling around to the awkward questionable morality dating scenario. I think for this to work best, we both need to be among the living.”

  I sat up grinning and shoved hir shoulder playfully, “Smartarse." Ze nodded and then we both took a shared deep breath, and I looked around, “Hello." Which got a chuckle rolling across the people gathered like a rippling wave.

  I grinned maniacally and popped up, flopping the blanket over my Reid. My heart still swelling from our whispered admissions earlier that had changed something between us, solidified our bond that much more, and said, “It seems introductions are in order," as ze extracted hirself from under the blanket like a chipmunk fighting its way out of a paper bag.

  The grin on hir face was in the adorable range when ze succeeded, and I pulled hir up to my side. Then we went about introducing my heart to our closest friends and family, and they enthusiastically welcomed hir into the fold.

  The whole time, Lenore had her eyes on us, with a look on her face I couldn't decipher.

  After my gulfrind was done embarrassing me and hirself after fangirling out almost a dozen times, the party was winding down as we found ourselves with Tabby and Terri.

  McGrath and Len wound up joining us, Hunter's arms wrapped lazily around Lenore's waist in the way that she did that showed the world that my sister was hers. It was one of those things the tall Irishwoman did that was so endearing.

  Paya joined us as Lenny yawned big and asked Tabitha, while she was looking at me, “Tabs, would it be an imposition if McGrath and I crashed at your place tonight? I'm more tired than I thought.”

  I blinked at my sister as Tabby chirped out as she looked carefully at Lenore and myself, “Of course, you can take one of the guest rooms.”

  I looked at the women who looked to have just had some sort of silent conversation. What gives?

  I never did contend that I was quick on the uptake. Bobby wasn't home. Lenny and McGrath wouldn't be either. The Deidre was going to be empty tonight. Two and two flowed through my mind as Lenore looked between Reid and me like she could see that something had changed tonight between us. The two numbers wouldn't connect to make four in my head until Reid grasped my hand.

  Oh dear lord, the Deidre was going to be empty tonight! Lenore was finally giving her blessing on my relationship with the most amazing person I had ever met. The person I loved.

  I was blurting out as I dragged the Reidster toward the stairs, “Ummm... we have to go. Thanks again Tabs for such a wonderful night. Night everyone!”

  There were some chuckles as we made a mad dash for the stairs, but then I overheard Tabby asking Paya, “So popcorn and chick flicks tomorrow night?”

  I almost stumbled down the stairs when our fearless leader chirped out, “I'm sorry Tabs, I can't. I have a date.”

  The conversations of the lingering people all stopped when we all as a group stopped and turned toward Paya with wide eyes. I blurted, “You have a what? Who!?" My smile was threatening to tear my cheeks I was smiling so wide. It was about time she put herself back out there after breaking up with her fiance a couple years back.

  Paya just flashed us one of her stunning smiles and gave a coy and demure look around as she headed toward the stairs. Ignoring all the questions being blurted out, she said, “Goodnight everyone." She passed us she asked, “Don't you two have someplace to be?”

  That was all it took for my overwhelming curiosity to be replaced with a frantic need.
I called down after the evil woman as I started dragging Reid along again to hir giggling pleasure, “Yes Paya.”

  She motioned me over when we reached the car park, and we started to put on our helmets. I gave Reid a quick peck on the lips and then scooted over to the woman who looked full of mischief. She asked quietly so Reid couldn't hear, “So, I know we discussed this, but was Reid born a boy or girl?”

  I didn’t know why she was asking now, I was pretty sure she saw Reid as one of her own. I told her the truth, “Truly, I don't know. But Paya... does it really matter?”

  The Indian-Brit cocked her head and shot a smile over to the waiting Reid, and she said with a thoughtful shadow on her expression, “Huh. I don’t suppose it does, now does it." She ruffled my hair, and I snapped my teeth at her hand. Then she giggled as she retreated into her large SUV.

  I rejoined my gul and we waved as Paya drove off, mischief in her eyes. Then wordlessly, we put on our helmets and were buzzing down the lanes to the Diedre. I sighed as I pulled my gul to me, basking in the warmth of hir body against mine as she steered us home with a driving need.

  I mused to myself as we went along knowing I wanted to be holding hir like this always, “This must be what forever feels like.”

  Epilogue

  Why was I crying? It didn't make sense. I was so happy, so why the tears?

  We had arrived at the Deidre after the frantic ride home from the Water Witch. We sat there on the couch just staring into each other's eyes without a word for the first few minutes, and it sank into us that this is the first time we had been truly alone at one of our houses.

  Just sitting there looking into hir eyes, knowing that right then we were the only two people in the universe, and it felt more intimate than anything else we had done. It was exciting and frightening all at once.

  I felt so very alive when Reid smiled so very bashfully and leaned in and kissed me gently. It was so very different than the copious amount of times we had kissed before. It said so very much in the whispering contact that sent a delightful fluttering shiver through me.

  It was like ze was trying to say so very much with that single kiss, and I melted into hir. Giving everything that I was to hir with no reservation. Reid was my everything, and I could see in hir eyes that she just might feel the same about me.

  Odd how a chance meeting on a train could have led me to the one person in this world that didn't care who I was or where I came from because they could see the Christine hidden in the core of me. The one that hid from the world, but bloomed like a flower in the sunlight whenever ze smiled at me.

  I whispered again because volume would diminish the message, “I love you so much Reidster.”

  Ze smiled, hir lips a breath away from mine, whispering back to my grin, “I'm still not answering to that." Then ze added, “And I do, I love you too Tintin. I never thought I would ever feel like this, so exposed and so safe around anyone until you.”

  All the right words were added in hir eyes, and we came together, kissing each other desperately, trying to show that love. It was passion, it was hunger, and it was real. I would die happy even if this was all the physical intimacy ze could ever offer me because I knew without a doubt then that my gul loved me.

  And I was crying...

  I don't know how long we made out like that, pulling each other close until I couldn't tell whose heart was beating at my chest, mine or hirs.

  Then my strong and confident Reid, curled up into my chest and asked almost meekly, “Can I stay with you tonight?”

  I just kept nodding as I tried to wipe the fecking tears out of my eyes. I whispered, “Of course.”

  We stood, clasping our hands together, not wanting the contact between us to end. I led hir to the door to the hall, and za hesitated and looked at the loo. “Mind if I get cleaned up first?"

  I shook my head, and ze gave me a quick kiss full of promise before disappearing into the loo, and I heard the door lock and grinned. I wasn't going to invade hir privacy.

  I touched my lips, still feeling the phantom of hirs on them, it was divine and made my core warm in want and need that I knew would never be sated. I would never push Reid.

  I smiled and spun in place then ran to my room. I looked at all the kittens on the wall, staring at me, judging me. I exhaled sharply at them then scrambled to find something to wear other than the tee shirt I stole from Reid for a nightshirt.

  I could hear the shower running as I rummaged through my things and pulled out my old nightshirt and shook my head. No, it wasn't right. Then I settled on a nightie I had bought on a silly whim a year ago. I looked at the sheer material and winced then I looked at the wall toward the shower I heard turning off.

  I felt like a gobshite and quickly struggled out of my clothes and pulled on the nightie. What the feck was I thinking when I bought this thing? I looked around then dove into my bed and pulled the covers up under my arms to cover myself as I heard the light knock at the door.

  I smiled softly at hir shyness and called out, “Come in.”

  Reid stepped into the room, looking so very bashful and unsure of hirself, hir hair was wet and combed back, and she wore one of the fluffy white robes that McGrath kept hanging by the shower.

  I smiled warmly at my gulfriend. At my darlin' as McGrath would say. And ze just held the robe clasped shut over hir chest. I realized that the robe was the only thing Reid was wearing as ze swallowed hard then gave me a questioning smile full of fear, as ze let the robe fall to the floor, baring hirself to me.

  I blinked and smiled in wonder as I breathlessly whispered to the angel in front of me, “My god Reid... you’re so beautiful...”

  The End

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  Romance Novels by Erik Schubach

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  Books in the Music of the Soul universe...

  (All books are standalone and can be read in any order)

  Music of the Soul

  A Deafening Whisper

  Dating Game

  Karaoke Queen

  Silent Bob

  Five Feet or Less

  Broken Song

  Syncopated Rhythm

  Progeny

  Girl Next Door

  Lightning Strikes Twice

  June

  Dead Shot

  Music of the Soul Shorts...

  (All short stories are standalone and can be read in any order)

  Misadventures of Victoria Davenport: Operation Matchmaker

  Wallflower

  Accidental Date

  Holiday Morsels

  Books in the London Harmony series...

  (All books are standalone and can be read in any order)

  Water Gypsy

  Feel the Beat

  Roctoberfest

  Small Fry

  Doghouse

  Minuette

  Squid Hugs

  The Pike

  Flotilla

  Books in the Pike series...

  (All books are standalone and can be read in any order)

  Ships In The Night

  Right To Remain Silent

  Evermore

  Books in the Flotilla series...

  (All books are standalone and can be read in any order)

  Making Waves

  Keeping Time

  The Temp

  ---------------------------------------------

  Novels by Erik Schubach

  ----------------------------------------------

  Books in the Techromancy Scrolls series...

  Adept

  Soras

  Masquerade

  Westlands (2017)

  Avalon (2018)

  Books in the Urban Fairytales series...

  Red Hood: The Hunt

  Snow: The White Crow

  Ella: Cinders and Ash

  Rose: Briar's Thorn

  Let Down Your Hair

  Hair of Gold: Just Right<
br />
  The Hood of Locksley

  Beauty In the Beast

  No Place Like Home (2017)

  Shadow Of The Hook (2018)

  Books in the New Sentinels series...

  Djinn: Cursed

  Raven Maid: Out of the Darkness

  Fate: No Strings Attached

  Open Seas: Just Add Water (2017)

  Ghost-ish: Lazarus (2018)

  Books in the Drakon series...

  Awakening

  Dragonfall

  Books in the Valkyrie Chronicles series...

  Return of the Asgard

  Bloodlines

  Folkvangr

  Seventy Two Hours

  Titans

  Books in the Bridge series...

  Trolls

  Traitor

  Unbroken

  Books in the Fracture series...

  Divergence

  -------------------------------------------------

  Novellas by Erik Schubach

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  The Hollow

  Books in the Paranormals series...

  Fleas

  This Sucks

  Jinx (2017)

  Short stories in the Fixit Adventures...

  Fixit

  Glitch

  Vashon (2017)

  Descent (2017)

  -------------------------------------------------

  Short Stories by Erik Schubach

  (These short stories span many different genres)

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  A Little Favor

  Lost in the Woods

  MUB

  Rift Jumpers: Faster Than Light

  Scythe

  Snack Run

  Something Pretty

  Mirror Mirror On The Wall (2017)

  Sample excerpt from Open Seas: Just Add Water...

  Chapter 1 – Clearing My Head