by JB Lynn
I gasped as I encountered evidence that he was just as turned on as me.
Finally, the key turned and the door swung open.
As I stepped inside, I realized shadows were dancing on the walls. It took me a moment to realize there were dozens of flickering candles filling the space.
“You planned this?” I asked as my eyes adjusted.
Patrick ushered the dog into the room. “In the corner, DeeDee,” he ordered. “There’s a bone there for you.”
The dog almost knocked me over in her rush to get to the treat.
Patrick saved me from falling by pulling me against him, his mouth on mine before I knew what had even happened. He didn’t let me breathe until my blood was heated and he’d removed my shirt.
Then he scooped me up and gently placed me on the bed.
“Satin sheets?” I asked, shivering as I slid against the cool fabric.
“Only the best for you. Champagne?” He moved to the side of the bed and poured me a glass from a waiting bottle.
“You thought of everything,” I murmured as we clinked glasses and sipped the bubbly.
“I’ve got rose petals made from chocolate,” he said, pulling his own shirt off. “Want some?”
I shook my head, wanting to taste him instead.
He stepped closer and worked a finger beneath the strap of my bra, stroking the skin underneath.
My breath caught and I almost dropped my glass. I couldn't take my eyes off him as he plucked it from my hand and put it out of reach.
He stood over the bed, staring down at me, a mixture of desire and doubt, shining in his eyes.
“What?” I asked, worrying that he was going to back out.
“Are you sure this is what you want?”
I grinned, reached for him, and proceeded to prove it was exactly what I wanted.
Twice.
Chapter Seven
DeeDee and I snuck back into the B&B at a ridiculous hour.
I knew from the way that DeeDee began to pant excitedly, before God and Piss were even really awake, that she was telling them all about my coital adventures.
If the way God puffed out the orange flap of skin beneath his chin was any indication, he wasn’t happy about this latest development.
Piss, of course, was unreadable.
Not that I cared what the animals thought. I was happy with my decision to take my relationship with Patrick to the next level. Making love with him had been the right decision.
I went to sleep remembering how cherished I’d felt in his arms.
I only got a couple hours of sleep since I’d gotten in at such a late hour. While I got ready for the day I told the animals, “We’ve got to figure out this resonance thing.”
God flicked his tail. Piss licked her paws. DeeDee stared at me expectantly.
“I don’t have any idea how to do it. Do you guys?”
All three animals stared at me blankly.
“C’mon guys,” I said, trying to rally the troops. “We can do this. We just have to get creative.”
To prove my point, I picked up my keys and jingled them by my ear. “Can I hear you now?”
DeeDee yipped.
I frowned. That hadn’t worked, but I wasn’t beaten yet. I proceeded to run around the basement knocking on every surface from the tv screen to the lamp shades, asking, “Can I hear you now?”
“Now?”
“Now?”
By the time I was done, I was exhausted and DeeDee was dejected. Plus, my knuckles were sore.
“It’s okay,” I told them with more assurance than I felt. “I’ll figure it out, but that’s it for now. I’ve got to get to real estate school, find a new occupational therapist for Katie, and figure out how to off the sniper guy. Busy week.”
None of the animals offered any sympathy.
“Let’s go outside,” I said to the dog.
She perked up at that, running up the storm cellar steps and waiting impatiently for me to open the doors for her.
She bolted into the yard.
“Leave DinDin alone,” I called after her, squinting against the sun that temporarily blinded me.
The Doberman barked.
I couldn’t know if she was agreeing with me or revolting against the command, but she ran toward the back fence.
I made my way to the makeshift coop. Bending down so that I was eye level with the chicken, I said, “Good morning.”
She clucked back.
“I hope you slept okay.”
“I’m sure she slept just fine,” Aunt Leslie said.
I whirled around to find her and Angel watching me. Apparently they were doing their morning yoga together…that, or they were practicing their technique to audition for a really cheesy kung fu movie.
“Morning,” Angel grunted as they segued into another move that seemed to require a great deal of balance.
“Morning,” I replied.
“Join us,” Leslie invited.
I shook my head. “Thanks, but I’ve got to walk the dog.”
“It would be good for you. Good for your mind, good for your body, good for your spirit,” Leslie trilled.
“I’m good,” I replied.
“You could reduce your stress and you’ll sleep better,” Leslie suggested. “You are looking awfully tired this morning.”
I couldn’t very well tell her that the reason I was tired was that Patrick Mulligan had done my body good the night before, so I turned away, pretending to search for DeeDee.
As though she knew I needed to escape from the conversation, the dog trotted up to me.
“Let’s go.” I held out her leash and she let me hook it to her collar.
“We’re off.” I stole a quick look at Angel who was wobbling precariously as he attempted to balance on one foot.
“Have a good time, dear,” Leslie said.
Instead of heading toward Kevin Belgard’s place, I dragged DeeDee in the opposite direction.
Looking up at me, she panted. I knew she wanted to know where we were headed.
“To church,” I muttered as, seeing a squirrel ahead of us, she leapt forward, practically pulling my arm out of its socket.
Once the squirrel had scurried up a tree and she realized she didn’t have a chance of catching it, the dog cocked her head to the side inquiringly.
“That big bell they ring,” I explained. “It’s got to have significant resonance.”
I don’t think the dog understood, but she happily accompanied me to the church a couple of blocks away. Once there, we snuck into the back parking lot and waited for the bell to ring.
It was a long wait, so DeeDee eventually sprawled out on the ground while I stared up at the steeple.
“Can I help you?” a man asked.
I jumped as though I’d just gotten caught with my hand in the cookie jar. Guiltily I turned to face the man who’d come up behind us.
Even though he was dressed in a button-up shirt covered with a sweater, I knew he was a man of the cloth.
“I didn’t mean to t-trespass,” I stuttered nervously.
He waved his hand, excusing my actions. “All are welcome here.”
We stared at each other uncomfortably for a long moment.
I considered going home.
“Can I pet your dog?” he asked, surprising me.
Knowing that she was being talked about, DeeDee jumped up and strained toward him, pulling me closer to the man.
The man smiled and pet her for quite a while.
Finally he looked up at me and asked kindly, “Was there something you needed?”
“I’m waiting,” I explained. “For the bell to ring.”
“It is a beautiful sound.” He glanced at his watch. “Only another minute or two.”
I nodded. “That’s why I’m waiting.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Well, if you need anything, I’ll be inside. Have a blessed day.”
“Thank you. You too,” I stammered, unsure of how to respond.
She barked.
I hung my head, disappointed. “I really thought that might be it.”
The dog licked my hand sympathetically.
I must admit that I was pretty depressed as I trudged back to the B&B. I was no closer to finding the resonance. Aunt Leslie was right. I was stressed.
“Maybe that’s it,” I said excitedly.
DeeDee’s ears perked up and she looked at me inquiringly.
“Maybe if I battle my stress, I’ll find the resonance.”
The dog looked confused.
“Ommmmmmm,” I began to chant. Sure, I’m not really the meditation type, I’m more the “losing my mind” kind of gal, than one who practices mindfulness, but even I know that there are benefits to chanting “Om”. I just don’t know what they are.
For the rest of the way home, I practiced chanting at different pitches. I didn’t feel any different by the time we reached the B&B's driveway, but I still asked the dog, “Can I hear you now?”
She yipped hopefully.
But I got nothing.
“Dammit!” I kicked a rock in my path as though it was its fault I couldn’t understand the dog. It bounced off the retaining wall and ricocheted back, hitting me in the shin. “Dammit!” I shouted, hopping up and down and grabbing my injured leg.
“Language, Margaret,” Aunt Susan lectured from where she sat on the front porch drinking her morning tea.
“It hurts,” I complained, letting DeeDee’s leash go so that she could run up to Susan.
I limped behind her, but got there just in time to see my aunt slip the dog a piece of banana. For someone who hadn’t wanted the dog, she certainly did spoil her.
“What do you have to do today?” Susan asked, pointing to the seat opposite her.
I plunked myself into the wicker chair while she poured me a cup from the teapot. “School and finding a new therapist for Katie.” I left out the bit about figuring out how to kill the sniper, Lamb.
I took the cup of tea from her eagerly, practically burning my tongue as I gulped it greedily. I’m a coffee girl myself, but any caffeine in a storm, right?
“Are you learning anything?” Susan asked while she stroked the dog who had sat by her side.
I shrugged. “It’s not like I’m being taught how to sell, it’s more about rules and regulations.”
Aunt Susan raised her eyebrows. “Not something people in this family are particularly adept at following.”
I didn’t want to get into that discussion so I added, “And math. Lots of math.”
Susan nodded her approval. She liked math. It was orderly.
Marlene bounded out onto the porch before Susan could quiz me any further about my real estate education.
“Good morning!” my little sister squeaked excitedly.
“Is it?” I asked dryly.
“I have exciting news.” Marlene clasped her hands together just under her chin and for a moment, I remembered how she and Darlene had sang a duet posed like that when they were in third grade.
My chest ached and I had to blink quickly to keep the unexpected tears at bay.
Marlene looked from me to Susan, waiting for one of us to prompt her to go on.
I can’t speak for my aunt, but I was pretty sure I didn’t want to hear the “exciting news” so I made a show of sipping my tea. Slurping it really, something I expected Susan to berate me for, but she too was busying herself with her own beverage.
“Doc asked me to move in with him!” Marlene announced with a sparkling smile.
I mentally added her paramedic boyfriend to the list of people I wanted to kill. My hand shook as I put my cup down on the table.
“That’s wonderful, dear,” Susan said carefully. “But are you sure it’s the wisest decision at the moment?”
“It’s a dumb idea,” I interjected, getting to my feet.
Marlene’s face fell.
Normally, I would have felt badly for disappointing her, but not this time. “We just got you back,” I told her. “You don’t even have your life together.”
Marlene glared at me, her face a mask of hard anger. “And you do?”
Considering that I’d had sex at a seedy apartment the night before, the answer was no. But I didn’t tell her that. Instead, I stood up and said coldly, “I’m doing the best I can. Can you say the same?”
Without waiting for an answer, I threw open the front door, marched into the foyer, through the dining room and into the basement via the kitchen, completely ignoring Angel who was pouring himself a cup of coffee.
I was too mad to talk to anyone. Too scared that Marlene was going to disappear from our lives again.
Plus, if I was honest with myself, I was jealous that she had the freedom to even consider moving in with the guy she was in love with.
I didn’t have that option.
Heck, I didn’t know if I’d ever have that with Patrick.
Both God and Piss looked startled as I thundered down the stairs. God squeaked. Piss meowed.
I growled, “Sure, rub it in.”
Piss darted under the couch.
God flicked his tail, signaling his indignation at being spoken to in such a manner.
I ignored them as I got dressed. I fumed silently about Marlene’s escape plan and my own failure to find the resonance. Even worse, I started to have doubts that making love with Patrick had been the right decision. Sure, it had felt good in the moment, but was there any future for us? Or would our relationship always be relegated to stolen moments?
I sank down on the couch and buried my head in my hands, overwhelmed by all the thoughts rolling in my head and the things I needed to get done.
Chapter Eight
I barely heard the soft knock at the door that led to the kitchen.
I considered pretending not to be there, but I figured I’d get caught.
“Come in,” I called, rubbing my eyes to make sure no wayward tears would reveal my precarious emotional state.
I was surprised that it was Angel who dared to enter.
He hesitated at the top of the stairs. “Okay, if I come down?”
“Sure.”
He walked down the stairs carrying a mug of coffee.
I tried to keep my nose from twitching like a rabbit’s as the aroma drifted my way. I also fought the urge to rip it out of his hands and claim it as my own.
“Susan took DeeDee for a walk,” he announced.
“I just took her for a walk.”
“Apparently whatever pissed you off and made Marlene cry upset your aunt too.”
I winced, wondering what he thought of my family’s theatrics. “Too much estrogen around here for you?”
He shook his head. “I’m still here.” He inched closer and held the cup out to me. “I thought maybe you’d like some coffee.”
I snatched it from him greedily before he had the chance to rescind the offer. “Thanks.”
“Doc seems like a good guy,” he ventured after I’d taken a hearty swallow.
I tilted my head back to get a better look at him. “You guys stick together, huh?”
Bending over, he scooped up Piss who’d crawled out from her hiding place beneath the couch. “I’m just saying that maybe Marlene genuinely wants to be with him.”
“It’s complicated,” I muttered.
“So I understand.” Angel cradled the cat against his chest and rubbed the spot behind her good ear.
The cat purred her contentment.
I squinted at him, wondering how much he knew about Marlene’s personal history. It would make sense that his uncles would know about her work as a prostitute, maybe they’d told him. Yet I’d never seen him treat her with anything less than respect.
“I’m sorry if I know too much,” he said quietly, confirming my suspicion. Sitting down on the couch beside me he added, “You don�
�t exactly have a normal family.”
