WindSwept Narrows: #23 Molly & Natasha

by Diroll-Nichols, Karen

  Jonathon took a guess that Angela was pegging Molly as one of the staff. And he knew Angela’s opinion of staff people wasn’t on the high end. It had been one of their biggest disagreements. Her view of the class structure also kept him from ever talking much about his past or his parents with her. He hadn’t realized it at the time because he believed they were well suited together. But now he knew that the barrier of what was acceptable and safe to talk about had been something that he didn’t like in their relationship. He wasn’t sure if he’d been shielding himself or his parents from her. Now he knew.

  “I work in the health center,” Molly answered with a smile that did not reach her eyes. Her fingers tightened around his.

  “A nurse?”

  “A physician, actually. I’m in family practice, as well as pediatrics and geriatrics. I love the variety of working with all ages of patients.”

  “A doctor,” Angela said slowly.

  “Mac!” Molly raised her hand, waving at the familiar figure striding toward the employee entrance. She looked up at Jonathon. “You’ve met Mac, haven’t you?”

  “I have, yes,” he answered, extending his palm. “Nice to see you again.”

  “Molly,” Mac bent slightly and brushed her cheek with a kiss before taking Jonathon’s hand with a firm clasp. “Glad to see you’re settling in. How’s your first holiday weekend going?”

  “We’re having a wonderful time. This is Angela Branson,” Molly said, her smile never wavering. “She believes she has investors interested in a piece of the Narrows. I’ve tried explaining to her that the Narrows isn’t for sale, but she believes everything has a price.”

  Jonathon thoroughly enjoyed the genuine laughter from Mac Lawson, not only in his voice, but in his eyes as well.

  “Ms. Branson,” Mac tipped his head in acknowledgement, his head shaking slightly. “It might have been the belief in your world and I know it still exists, but it doesn’t exist in our portion of the state. You’ll have to disappoint your investors.”

  “I’ve an appointment on Tuesday with two of the principles to discuss it,” she responded stiffly.

  “Really? Who are you talking to?” Mac asked with an interested tone in his voice.

  Angela pulled a small note pad from the purse resting against her hip. “A C. Parker and A. Murray.”

  “Hmm…” Mac brushed a palm over his mouth to keep the smile to a minimum. “They are principles, that’s very true. But I’m afraid you’ll only be told the same thing I just said.”

  “I’ll take my chance with the principles,” she responded loftily.

  “Hey, babe…” Mac took three quick steps snagging his wife with one arm and a quick kiss. Her long hair was pulled up into a ponytail for their evening games. “Want you to meet someone.”

  “Hi, Molly…Jonathon,” Cassidy Parker-Lawson smiled at them both. “Looks like you’ve been shopping.”

  “I took Jonathon to the used book store. I think we spent over an hour there browsing,” Molly said with a laugh. “Jonathon found a couple old books from a series he loves reading and I found two in the new series. I got a little behind because of the move and all.”

  “I love the book shops in this area. Mac and I spend hours in them.” She laughed. “In two completely different sections, but the same building,” she confided with a teasing wink.

  “Cass, this is Angela Branson. She says she has an appointment with you and Abby on Tuesday,” Mac commented lightly.

  Cassidy turned to face her more and nodded. “We do. I’m not sure why you felt it necessary to make the trip, though. The answer isn’t going to change and our answer is well documented and public knowledge. I told your admin that on the phone.”

  “You’re one of the principles?” Angela looked down at their hands. “You’re married. I believed the principles were men…”

  Jonathon actually felt a little sorry for her, watching as she paled.

  “As of Valentine’s Day,” Cassidy said with a bright, happy smile. “It was a surprise wedding and the best imaginable. And Mia Santori is one of the principles, the original ones, at least, and she’s female. Since we’ve all married, the principles have doubled, essentially.”

  “That makes you…” Angela looked at Mac.

  “Mac Lawson. When we married, Cassidy became one of the principles. So did Abby, who married Cade Rollins, another of the original principles,” Mac explained with a slight shake of his head. “Everything in life does not come with a price, Ms. Branson and I’m sorry you wasted your time and your company’s money making the trip.” He tipped his wrist up. “We gotta run, sorry. We have an online game scheduled to play in twenty.”

  “Who’re you going against?”

  “Nate and Faith,” Cassidy answered.

  “Oww…that’s a tough one to predict,” Molly said with a laugh. “Good luck.”

  “It was nice meeting you,” Cassidy said, waiting while Mac repeated her comment and they took off at a quick pace to the employee door.

  “You knew who they were,” Angela spun angrily on Molly.

  “Sure did. You didn’t seem to want to listen to facts regarding the Narrows.” Molly told her with a dismissing shrug.

  “Angela,” Jonathon let out a sigh, his mouth open until she turned to him.

  “Do you work for them now?” Came the incredulous question.

  “Why the hell do you make it sound like I’ve defected to communist China?” He demanded, his own temper slipping his hold. “The world does not have to be ‘us and them’; it can be co-operative, not combative. Yes, I work here. Not for the Narrows, but the company I work for is fitting into the plans and dynamics that they’ve laid down to advance the community and the people working in all of it. And it’s not only invigorating, it’s filled with life,” he said, finally finding the words he wanted. “I’m not watching people die slowly to serve masters who don’t care about them. I’m watching people grow and advance, if they choose. I’m watching them contribute and build the community around them.”

  “They’ve brought some very interesting and prosperous philosophies from Europe, as well,” Molly said with a contented smile. “And with people in the local governments who want the success, it’s spreading very slowly into other communities.”

  “Investors will never allow something like this to…to…”

  “It’s no longer up to the investors, Angela. That’s what you’re not grasping.” He would have continued but she turned and stormed across the expanse of the foyer, slapped the elevator button and stood fuming, waiting. “Well…that was unexpected.”

  “She’s aggressive,” Molly watched her, taking in all the perfection that seemed to ooze from her appearance and mannerisms. Up until the temper broke free. “And very angry right now. She was very surprised that you took a job here.”

  “Don’t hit me, but I used to believe the same things. Everything had a price and people were expendable. It’s the lean management style that has become a big part of corporate America,” Jonathon gripped their bags in one hand, her fingers wrapped around his as they went to the elevator bank.

  “You wouldn’t be here if that was your philosophy,” she said slowly. “I’ve come to know a lot of people who work high up in the businesses around the resort. I’ll take you to the Emporium and you can meet a few others. It’s a very positive, comfortable community. I love it,” she nodded to herself as they stepped into the elevator.

  “The interview process was more intense than I’d been through before,” he admitted as the elevator moved higher. “And I met people that I wouldn’t be interacting with, in regards to Vincent Technologies, that was the confusing part at the time, but now I understand the reasoning behind it.”

  Jonathon used his frame and backed her into the corner of the elevator for a quick kiss. He wasn’t sure why he suddenly needed the taste. He needed her touch and scent back in his system. Maybe to chase off remnants of Angela’s anger. He just wasn’t sure. But when Molly leaned into
his kiss and eagerly returned it, everything smoothed over.

  “Wow…I really like kissing you,” Molly breathed when the doors opened behind them and he stepped away from her.

  “It’s mutual,” he murmured before taking her hand and leading her down the hall to the suite.

  He didn’t mention it to her, but he really liked one of the houses they’d come across and he wanted to review the papers he had folded in his pocket. The curious part was that Molly had agreed with most of the positive aspects he found in the house. Others, he was more than willing to have renovated and adjusted.

  The image of Molly in the house, from the color photographs on their flyer, was something that fascinated him. And not something he’d ever experienced with either of his other long term relationships. He was beginning to believe the whispered rumors about the aura surrounding the WindSwept Narrows as far as couples were concerned.

  He carried the things he’d bought into the suite and left them on the table. The suite was now cleaned and everything in its place. Including Molly, who curled into the corner of the sofa and opened her bags, slowly going over her purchases. It was almost seven and he wasn’t feeling the least bit hungry. Plus, he knew she had put all the extra breakfast food into the fridge. He added the few things he’d bought for himself before crossing to the sofa and dropping to his heels. He remained silent until she looked up from the fancy colored metal, intricate bow hair clip she’d bought for herself.

  “I’m sorry. You ready to go?”

  “Are you hungry?” He loved the way her nose wrinkled and she shook her head, the bangs that hadn’t been clipped out of the way falling sexily over one eye. “Then stay the night…we can have midnight snacks of leftovers.”

  “It’s barely past seven,” she said with a grin that grew, her interest in the bags shoved aside as her hands came up and framed his face. “I suppose we have lots of books we could read…in bed…”

  “Hmm…with your imagination, I bet we could work out something a lot more entertaining…and interactive,” Jonathon suggested, taking her hands and pulling her to stand before him. His hands worked the t-shirt free of her jeans, lifting it over her head and dropping it to the sofa.

  “Interactive,” Molly repeated thoughtfully, following his movements and adding his shirt to hers behind her. “I think I might like this activity.”

  “I visited the restroom.”

  “Okay,” she said with a curious little frown that faded quickly when he arched one brow. She slid her hand into the front pocket of his jeans and came out with the knowledge that he was already hard and a handful of condoms in her palm. “Oh…I guess we did use all the ones I’d bought.”

  “Very true,” he tugged on the band of her jeans, leading her down the hall to the bedroom. “I think a long hot shower is in order,” he informed her, turning and taking the condoms from her hand. He dropped all but one onto the nightstand before opening the front of her jeans and quickly pushing them over her hips.

  When she did the same to him, they both fell laughing to the surface of the bed, their shoes caught in the legs of the jeans.

  Jonathon crushed his mouth against hers, taking all the passion she was willing to share, his cock reacting and thrusting out from his body. He pressed against her thigh, her hand out and removing the condom from his fingers.

  “Now, Jonathon,” Molly whispered, her fingers stroking along the length of his cock. A soft whimper broke free when the touch seemed to toss fuel to the already burning lust between them. She managed to get the condom over him before his hands circled her waist and lifted her over him. Her feet kicked and toes pushed at her shoes until her legs were bare.

  The light of the bathroom illuminated the shadows of a mid-evening September night as she rose above him, straddling his thighs before moving higher. He watched the arousal in her eyes, the hunger he saw there for him sending powerful shots through him. With her hands over his, she moved them to her breasts as she slid higher, stroking her hot, wet center along his cock.

  He thought he was prepared when his cock caught at the damp opening and invited him inside. He honestly thought a long, extended foreplay game in the shower would happen. But evidently not this time. As soon as he felt the snug grotto pulling him deeper, the need to feel her exploding around him took control and refused to release him.

  Jonathon lay at her side, his palm sliding over the faintest remnants of their lovemaking that existed on her skin. He didn’t realize how very much he needed her and the sweetly purging effect it had on him. Until it was over and they lay together in the silence, their breathing mixing with the softest pings of rain against the windows. He hadn’t realized how much of Angela’s negative words echoed in his head. And he’d believed himself ‘cured’.

  He wrapped his arms around Molly from the behind, delighting in the way she snuggled back against him and covered his palms with her own. They had the blankets to their chins, the silence of the cooling room carrying them into the night. Together.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Molly woke and lay cuddled against a very warm chest, her lashes blinking and working to focus her eyes on the glowing red of the clock on the other side. She wasn’t sure how she managed to be half on top of him, and facing the wrong way. But she was comfortable, he didn’t seem to mind at all, and coiled himself closer when she shivered before falling back to sleep listening to his heartbeat.

  When she moved again, she was alone. But this time she didn’t feel the sense of unease that she’d had the morning before. They never made it into the shower. But the sex had been incredible, she recalled with a contented sigh before she sat up and blinked into the dimly arriving daylight. Since the room faced Puget Sound, the sun was rising behind them and was reflected in splotchy patches off the water in the distance.

  She rubbed the heels of her palms into her eyes and slipped to the floor. Like the morning before, her clothes had been collected and were neatly folded on the low dresser. The pile made her smile and move to stand up, her arms stretching high above her head. She tilted from one side to the other, feeling the urge for a long exhausting swim.

  By the time she left the bathroom fully dressed, the scent of fresh coffee reached her along the short hall leading to the large open main area of the suite. A set of dark eyes peered through a pair of gold rimmed glasses over the edge of the Sunday morning paper. Her gaze shifted to the table where he’d already poured her juice for her and had a covered plate waiting.

  She felt a little wiggle of pleasure when he lowered the paper and smiled at her.

  Jonathon looked up when he heard the vaguest of movements in the otherwise very silent suite. Again the image of mornings like this repeated and played in his mind and made him smile. He lowered the paper and extended his hand, pleasure beginning at their fingertips where they touched and spreading like a slow, simmering glow throughout his body as she moved without hesitation into his embrace.

  His hand moved around her waist, holding her close and tipped his head back. Molly took the hint and brushed his mouth with hers, minty and fresh, the hint of heat from her shower still on her skin where he touched her.

  Jonathon laughed at the soft growling from her stomach and accepted the palm she aimed at his shoulder before moving out of his embrace and sinking into the chair.

  “I’ll never recognize morning again without that sexy little growl,” he teased as she began eating.

  “I’m really sure that’s not the most romantic thing you could tell a girl,” Molly said with a defeated little laugh.

  “I’ll work on my presentation,” he promised with a wink, lifting the paper and finding where he left off.

  “You wake up very early,” she remarked as she ate, the creamy eggs filling the folded piece of toast before she took a big bite.

  “Habit. There never seems to be enough time to get all things done.”

  “You seem to be handling a couple days off without being in pain.”

  He looked over the edge
of the paper at the set of darkly twinkling eyes watching him.

  “I think the newspaper is a definite crutch, though,” she continued with a grin around her chewing. “I figured you’d have your laptop open or your phone out and handling things that way.”

  “I ordered the place locked down for the holiday and told people to relax and enjoy their families. Another of the mandates to belong to the reclamation. Happy, rested employees.” Jonathon leaned back in the chair, laying the paper down so he could see her better. He guessed by the way she ate, that she must usually eat on the run. Not that he could comment, since it had been a big part of his past. That, and too many business meeting meals.

  “That was a really nice thing to do. The European model is an interesting one, as far as businesses are concerned,” Molly popped the last of her breakfast sandwich into her mouth and stood up, wandering around to the few personal items scattered around the suite. “I’ve done some reading on it on the Narrows website, trying to understand how different things are and it’s quite fascinating. I have friends in Canada, England and Poland, so it’s interesting talking to them about it.”

  “Where’d you meet them?”

  “Oh…you know…here and there…schools and things…the internet…chatrooms in days past and other things these days.” Her head tipped as she took in the colorful stack of CD’s resting near the portable player Jonathon had on the counter in the suite. Her mouth opened once and then closed, wide eyes going from the collection of titles to the man reading through the newspaper at the dining table.

  “Schools and things?” He would have asked more but the look on her face stopped him.

  “You fraud!” She whispered, facing him with a fist planted firmly on each of her hips. “You sneaky, lying fraud.”

  Jonathon lowered the paper just a little. Just enough to peer over the edge of his glasses and the newspaper at the same time. He took in where she stood and then the items around her. He groaned softly, his head shaking.