The Key Club

by Victoria Calaway

  He kissed her forehead. “Good. That’s the way it’s supposed to be.”

  Sighing contentedly, she held him tightly.

  Chapter Four Ryan stayed with Lina all weekend, leaving only to cover his shift at work, and they’d walked down the block to his apartment so that he could get a change of clothes. He slept with her, holding her in his arms, and he made no effort to persuade her to try to take him into her. For that she was grateful, and they pleased each other in various ways without his penetration.

  Lina didn’t know what to make of Ryan’s affections and attention, but she enjoyed it for as long as it lasted. He left late Sunday, and Lina missed him in her bed.

  All week, Lina hoped he’d call, but she heard nothing. She hated admitting to waiting by the phone, but she found herself staring at the contraption, willing it to ring. She tried to keep herself occupied with reading, watching television, and even getting out to run a few errands. When she returned, she immediately checked for messages, but found none.

  When Friday came, she hoped he’d come after work, but she still heard nothing. On Saturday, she cleaned her apartment, then took her laundry to the coin machines. While she waited, she became absorbed in a book she’d started.

  Barb came in, hefting a basket of clothes to a machine. “Hey, Lina!” she greeted with a smile. “We missed you at the party Friday. What happened?”

  “I was busy,” she stated, not wanting to go into details.

  “With Ryan?” When Lina looked at her, Barb shrugged. “He wasn’t there, either, so I just assumed…” When Lina remained silent, Barb told her, “Look, you seem like a nice person, so be careful of Ryan. I’m not sure I trust the man, but since we all know where he lives, we include him. He seems like a shady character. He’s always intense, too quiet, always watching people…it’s eerie sometimes. You know?”

  “Have you ever slept with him?” Lina wasn’t sure why she asked that question, but now that it was out, she did want to know.

  “No, and I’m not sure I’d want to,” she stated. “I can’t put my finger on it, but something about him bothers me.”

  “I see. You said he wasn’t at the party last night?”

  “No. I’d have noticed. Maybe he was working. He’s a truck driver, so he could have been on the road.”

  “A truck driver?” Her head jerked up.

  Barb shrugged. “That’s what he told everybody. What do we know? I only know what he said.”

  Lina wondered why he’d tell her he was a law enforcement officer if he was a truck driver. Was that to try an impress her, or was he trying to throw everyone else off? Which was true? Then she remembered the card he’d given her from his wallet. She wondered what information was on it. Of course, anyone can put anything on a business card, she realized, but if he really was a cop, that should be easy enough to find out.

  Then another thought struck her. She’d slept with him without protection, and without any birth control. Even though he’d been inside her only once, she knew that was enough for anything to happen. What about in her mouth? Oh, God! How could I have been so stupid? She looked up to see that the dryer had stopped. Jumping up, she rushed over and grabbed her clothes out of it, dumped them into the basket, and took it with her as she rushed out.

  Back at her apartment, she dropped the basket of clothes on the sofa, ran to the kitchen and snatched up the card Ryan had left. Bugle County Sheriff’s Department. Ryan Silver, Detective. There were two phone numbers. She hurried to the phone and dialed.

  “Bugle County Sheriff. How may I help you?” came a feminine voice.

  “Detective Ryan Silver, please?” Lina requested politely.

  “Detective Silver hasn’t come in yet. He comes in at two o’clock. May I take a message and have him call you?”

  “No, thanks. I’ll try later.” She replaced the receiver, her brows creasing. OK, he’s really a cop, so why did he lie to everyone else? Being a cop, he has to be careful about things such as body fluids, so why did he sleep with me without protection? He didn’t know any more about me than I did him, so why did he feel comfortable doing the things he did? What’s going on?

  There were too many questions and no answers. She simply didn’t know enough about anything to figure it out. Perhaps if he was honest enough to tell her his real occupation, he might also tell her the answers she needed. If he comes back, she told herself.

  Giving up on it for now, she took the basket of clothes to the bedroom to take care of folding and ironing.

  Ryan sat behind his desk, filling out his reports from the previous night’s investigations and arrests. He leaned back, thinking of Lina, and smiling. He was glad she hadn’t turned out to be like the other women he’d met at those key parties, and even more glad she hadn’t asked for money when they’d gone to her apartment. He’d have hated to arrest her for prostitution. Instead, she’d turned out to be innocent, but why she’d given herself to him puzzled him. Still, he was just as glad she had.

  Unable to get her off his mind, he picked up the phone on his desk and dialed her number from memory. Lina answered on the second ring.

  “Hi, it’s Ryan,” he told her, smiling at the sound of her voice. “I wondered if I could stop by after work tonight?”

  “Sure. There’s something I’d like to ask you, so this would be a good time.”

  “Oh? You can ask me now if you want. What’s up?”

  “It can wait,” Lina answered. “I’m sure you’re busy.”

  “Only a bit. It might get busier later.”

  “By the way, in case I’m asked, what trucking company are you supposed to work for? I’ve already been warned to be careful around you.”

  Ryan laughed. “Someone is carrying tales, are they?”

  “Sort of.”

  “I’ll tell you when I get there.”

  “Got to have time to make one up, do you?”

  Ryan laughed again. “No. I’ve been honest with you.”

  “See you when you get here.”

  He heard the click and the line went dead. Still smiling, he replaced the receiver and went back to his task. Less than two minutes later, the phone on his desk rang.

  “Silver,” he answered.

  “Just checking,” came a feminine voice.

  “To make sure I’m really who I say?”

  “Yeah, pretty much.”

  “Now you know. Right?” He leaned back in his chair, smiling at the pretty sound Lina made on the phone.

  “Yeah,” she admitted. “Someone like me needs to be more careful.”

  “Lina, you can trust me. I didn’t lie to you about anything.” He took a deep breath. “Something else, too. I don’t have any diseases. Okay?”

  “Okay. Thank you for telling me.”

  “See you in a few hours.” He replaced the receiver, and again returned to his paperwork.

  Lina sat staring at the telephone for several long minutes, thinking hard about Ryan Silver. If he hadn’t lied to her, he must have a good reason for lying to Barb. Was he investigating something? Was the key party illegal? It seemed it should be, but probably not since everyone was consenting adults, and nobody was required to pay anything. It seemed to be a means to have one night stands among people who knew where each other lived, which would be safer than picking up men in a bar, she mused. Still in heavy thought, she got up to finish her ironing.

  By the time Ryan knocked on her door, Lina had come up with so many questions, she forgot what she wanted to ask. She was confused, not knowing who to trust or believe, deciding that it would be best to simply go with her gut instincts. Just as quickly, she dashed that notion, realizing just what her following basic instincts had gotten her into already. A cock the size of a football shoved up her, for one thing, she thought, biting her lip at the memories of the other things he’d done and how she’d reacted. An ache burned between her legs, traveled deep inside her, and she groaned softly.

  “Are you all right?” Ryan asked, entering without w
aiting for an invitation.

  “Just fine,” she snapped, not meaning to sound so harsh.

  Ryan whipped around to look at her. Seeing her flushed face, similar to the expression when

  he’d made love to her, he stepped close and pulled her into his arms. His lips devoured hers, hungrily, greedily, and when she opened her mouth, he invaded it with his tongue. Lina became a mindless blob in his arms, the same as she did every time he touched her. A soft little sound rose from her, captured by his mouth, and Lina suddenly knew that she would always be his. She would never be able to say no. Lina had fallen in love, and she’d fallen hard. Tiny tears prickled her eyes, and her heart blossomed like a new rose.

  Ryan kissed her for a long time, and when he broke the kiss, he seemed reluctant to let go of her. He eased away, took her hand, and led her to the sofa. They sat side-by-side, and Ryan wrapped his arm about her to pull her close. Lina snuggled into his embrace.

  “What made you give yourself to me the way you did?” Ryan asked, surprising her. “You didn’t know I wouldn’t hurt you. I could have been a killer for all you knew.”

  She looked at him, then kissed his bearded jaw. “I’m not sure why I did it. Something about you. I wasn’t afraid.” She sighed. “Do you enjoy those parties?”

  “You’re the first woman I’ve ever slept with from one,” he admitted.

  Lina sat up and looked at him with disbelief. “Come on, now. You don’t really expect me to believe that, do you? You knew exactly what was supposed to happen. You even explained it to me, if you remember, although I’d already figured it out by the time it was too late.”

  He ran a finger down her cheek. “It wasn’t too late. You could have said no, but I’m glad you didn’t. I wanted you more than anything. I still do. The moment I saw you at the party, I tossed my keys into the bowl and hoped you’d be the one to draw them. Otherwise, they were going to go back into my pocket. I just hadn’t planned on hurting you.”

  “Is that why you keep coming back? Because you hurt me?”

  Ryan shook his head. “No. I’m glad you’re all right, of course, but I’m here because I want to be.”

  Not sure he was serious, she searched his face and eyes. That unidentifiable look was there again, intense and mesmerizing, and she didn’t want to break the spell that seemed to be cast around her. She leaned forward, and touched his lips with her own.

  Chapter Five “When do you go back to the doctor to make sure everything is all right?” Ryan asked, his arm around Lina as they lay in bed. They’d had a mind-blowing session of oral sex in the sixtynine position, and lay in the aftermath in each other’s arms.

  “I have to go Wednesday afternoon,” she answered, running her fingers down his chest. “I’m sure I’m all right. You really shouldn’t worry.”

  He kissed her forehead. “Comes with the territory.”

  Silently, Lina worried she would never be able to take Ryan’s massive cock inside her, and she had every intention of asking the doctor when she went. She had a deep, distinct fear that if she couldn’t, oral sex would not be enough to always satisfy him, therefore he would find someone who could take him into her body. She knew Ryan had made no promises to her, and she didn’t harbor the notion that he was hers, but she hoped the time would come that he would be, would want to spend his life with just her. Certain she should give up that idea, she forced her heart to let go a little and felt it start to crack.

  “About the truck driver,” he said, causing her to look at him. “I never said who I was supposed to be driving for.”

  “Why don’t you want them to know the truth?”

  “I work in Vice. It’s my job to investigate public order crimes, such as narcotics, alcohol, prostitution, pornography and gambling. These parties were very popular in the ‘70’s but most involved orgies and drugs. They’re becoming popular again in some areas, and our little county isn’t immune.”

  “So, you were checking to make sure nothing illegal was going on?”

  “Yeah, more or less.”

  “Why did you leave with me? You didn’t know anything about me. I could have been a lowlife or something.”

  Ryan smiled. “I’m a good judge of character. I took one look at you and knew you didn’t belong there. You didn’t have that look that said you were wild and willing. You were very reluctant to pull a key from the bowl, and when you held it up, you weren’t sure what you were getting into.”

  “You saw all that?”

  “Sure did,” he replied, giving her a kiss on the forehead. “I’m glad it was me.”

  “So am I,” Lina admitted, and hugged him to her. “Do you think anything illegal is going on around here?”

  “I didn’t see anything. Just a bunch of neighbors getting together to swap partners for a night once a week. They aren’t charging for the sex that I know of, they aren’t selling the booze, and I didn’t see anyone with narcotics. I didn’t see any porn laying around, so without probable cause, there’s nothing to go on.”

  “The party isn’t illegal?” she wondered aloud.

  “No. Not morally acceptable, but not illegal. They’re all consenting adults.” He lifted a shoulder in a half shrug. “Can’t say the same for other parties, but that one is okay.”

  Lina then wondered how much danger he might be in every night, but was afraid to ask, afraid of the answer. She was sure the less she knew, the better off she’d be.

  Ryan left on Sunday evening, and Lina felt her heart die a little. He made no offer to call, no offer to come back, and she didn’t want to be rejected if she asked him, which made her remain silent when he’d said his good-bye.

  On Monday, she went in to work as usual, and just before lunch, a client came in to see her boss. He’d brought a couple of people with him, and she showed them into the conference room.

  Although the door was closed, voices carried, and when the attorney asked about the arresting officer, she heard Ryan Silver’s name. Her head jerked up, and though muffled, she caught the words drugs and prostitution. Lina bit her lip hard.

  She’d never given much thought to some of the clients coming in to being thugs. Realizing this guy was a dealer and a pimp made her stomach hurt. If they weren’t in trouble, they wouldn’t need a criminal attorney, she realized.

  She watched as the three men swaggered out, looking and acting tougher than when they’d entered, as if they’d just been declared innocent and thought it was cool. Concerned that Ryan had to deal with such people on a daily basis, her stomach knotted painfully.

  On Wednesday afternoon, Lina kept her doctor’s appointment. After the examination, she sat up.

  “The man I slept with…well, he’s huge, and that’s why I tore,” she told the doctor.

  “I gathered that.”

  “I wondered…can we try again?” Her cheeks burned with embarrassment.

  “Use a good lubricant, and you should do fine.” He wrote down a brand on a slip of paper. “You don’t need a prescription, and don’t be afraid to use as much as you need.” He handed her the paper. “Once you’re adjusted to his size, you won’t need it.”

  She nodded, and when he left, she got dressed. She didn’t know if she should call Ryan, or simply wait to see if he came back. She didn’t like the idea of telling him on the phone, “Hey, it’s okay for you to slam that anaconda into me if you lube it up!” Of course, she wouldn’t be so blunt, but it would sound the same no matter how it came out of her mouth.

  On the way home, she stopped by the pharmacy, found the brand he recommended, paid for it, and went home. She sat down on the bed, read the instructions, then put it in the drawer of the bedside table. She wondered when, or if, it would be used.

  Dismissing it, she got up, went to the kitchen and made herself a sandwich of bacon and scrambled egg. She sat down in front of the television, switched it on, and when she saw a true series on vice squad activity, her attention glued to the set. Learning more about Ryan’s work might help her understand hi
m a little better. As it were, he confused her by showing up at the last minute and calling only once. Did he expect her to always fall into his arms and into bed just because he showed up? Apparently, he did, and Lina was sure that wasn’t a good thing.

  Around nine-thirty, her phone rang, surprising her. When she answered, she heard Ryan’s voice greet her. “Hi, beautiful.”

  Lina smiled. “Hi. This is a surprise.”

  “I had a few minutes, and I wanted to hear your voice.”

  Lina heard the tiredness in his tone. “Are you all right?”

  “We executed a raid earlier, and it got a bit rough. I’m fine.” He sighed heavily. “You went to the doctor today?”

  Surprised that he remembered, she answered, “Yes. Everything turned out all right.”

  “No complications then?”

  “No, none. You can stop worrying.”

  He was silent for a few moments, then said, “I’m off this weekend. Would you like to spend it with me? We could take a trip to the beach, get some sun.”

  Her face lit up with delightful surprise. “Really? You want to take me?”

  “Yeah, really. My parents left me a beach house. I like to go at least once a month. It’s about a two hour drive. I can pick you up Friday when you get off work, and we can head out. Come back Sunday evening.”

  “It sounds wonderful. I’d love to go. Thank you for asking.”

  “It’ll be great. Bring a bathing suit. I have to get back to work.”

  “Okay,” Lina said. “I’ll see you Friday.”

  They said their goodbyes, and Lina went to bed with a happy smile.

  On Thursday after work, Lina packed for the weekend, taking along a bikini she had never worn, and hoped Ryan would like it. She also tossed in the lubricant, then set her small bag by the front door.

  Ryan sat in his car, parked in front of her apartment, when Lina pulled in on Friday evening. She couldn’t help smiling, thinking he was as anxious to see her as she was him. He met her halfway, and dropped a kiss on her lips.

  “I thought we could stop for dinner on the way,” he said, taking her key and opening the door. “How long will it take you to get your things?”