Tickled Pink

by Schultz, JT

  ”I didn’t want to be there this afternoon. I debated going over to the garage and working on the Mustang, but I’ve done that a lot lately.” He darted a quick look to the tablet. “Were you working?”

  She sighed and shook her head. “No just messing around with some ideas.”

  He stepped over to the edge of her lounge chair and she slid her legs down so he could sit. His gaze fixed on the label of the beer bottle in his hand, then turned to face her. “I’m sorry I’ve been a bit out of sorts the last few weeks.”

  “You’re not happy.”

  “No, not where work is concerned.” He ran a hand over the silky tanned skin of her leg. “I’m happy with us though and don’t want you to doubt that.”

  A small smile tugged her lips and she placed the tablet on the table next to the chair. “I was going to get in the hot tub, want to join me?”

  “After the conversation I had with Kerry Sutherford today, it sounds like a good plan.”

  Concern crinkled her brow and she studied him a minute before getting up and removing her t-shirt. He raked his gaze over the light pink printed bikini top showing off the fullness of her breasts then continued down over her flat stomach to her rapidly appearing legs as she dropped her cut off’s to the balcony floor.

  She turned to him and smiled. “Are you coming?”

  Not yet, but that bikini is coming off.

  “Just appreciating the view.”

  She giggled and reached over and turned on the jets on the hot tub. Richard stood, set the beer bottle down, and then pulled his t-shirt over his head. He walked over, stepped in and sat on the cement seat next to her. The hot water already soothed some of the tension that had worked down his legs.

  “So, did you want to talk about your call with Kerry Sutherford?” He couldn’t miss the hesitation in her voice.

  Richard sighed and reviewed the highs and lows of the conversation. “He is one of your biggest fans, that’s for sure. Told me about the new tower community he is building in Las Vegas. Ivy Garden Tower is still highly sought after and they don’t come on the secondary market often.”

  “True.” She tilted her head and narrowed her gaze. “There’s more, so what haven’t you told me.”

  She knows me well.

  “It’s across from the land I was thinking of putting the casino project on, only Hank and his idiot father still don’t think we should venture into something so high risk.”

  Toni digested the information and smiled. “I see. So you want to tie up your money and other people’s money in the casino, but you want the company to invest in the new condo community as well?”

  “Smart and beautiful.” He shifted in the water and brushed her lips with his. Though the kiss wasn’t heated, the simple contact warmed him and eased some of the tension. He lifted his mouth from hers and scanned her face. “So are you going to tell me about your day or am I going to ravage you first?”

  “Yes,” she laughed and shifted. Toni threw a leg across him and straddled his hips. Her knees rested on the bench on either side of his hips.

  His arms laced around her waist, he glanced down at her bikini top, and the tanned, smooth skin exposed. “You’re asking for that swimsuit to come off.”

  “I had a call today. One that surprised me.”

  He narrowed his gaze. “A good call or a bad call?”

  She shook her head. “Good, but unusual considering everything—even more so now that I think about it.”

  Richard wasn’t sure if it was her tone or the word unusual. “Is everything okay?”

  She nodded and a thoughtful expression crossed her face. “The call I received was from Katerina Singh.”

  “Why would she call you?”

  “She wanted to see how I was, how you were, wants to get together with us when they are back out this way. Also, asked me what my secret was to such great sweet peas.”

  He blinked in surprise. “It was a social call?”

  “Yeah. She then asked me about the pink and white gala in October. She heard from Felix it should be sensational, I told her I would love for her to come and she said she would if she was in the country, but the chances were high she would be in Macau.” Toni shrugged. “I haven’t talked to her since they were here for dinner.”

  Richard had talked to Denshi a few times, but knew they wouldn’t invest or do any projects with the company—they strongly disliked the Stewarts. “I don’t know what to say. I know you and Katerina hit it off.”

  “True. I mean, wouldn’t she have called sooner than four months after our dinner?” Toni sighed and a thoughtful expression crossed her face.

  “You would think, especially with the time difference. I don’t think they’re in the country currently.” He reached up and tugged the strings on her bikini top.

  She grinned and wiggled in his lap. The pale pink fabric fell away from her body and his groin tightened in arousal. “Oh, no they are most definitely in the country.” Her hands slipped beneath the water and she shifted. She withdrew her bikini bottom and tossed it on the deck by his head.

  Richard grew harder as his hands slid over her body and settled on her full breasts. “And tell me how you know this?”

  Toni reached down and her fingers curled around the waist of his swim trunks. “Because she told me she was in Dallas.”

  He blinked and thought for a minute. “Did she mention why?”

  She paused. “Yeah, Denshi was in a meeting with Kerry Sutherford and thought she would call me, while she had a minute.”

  Richard digested this and recalled what he knew. “So there was a chance Denshi was there when I was talking to Kerry?” His wife had been right when she said it was unusual. “You see, there is something I don’t understand.”

  “Welcome to my world.”

  He grinned wide over her comment. “The interesting thing is, Katerina goes to all the meetings with Denshi—they’re a team. I can’t see her leaving a meeting for a social call.”

  Toni scrunched her nose and furrowed her brow. “So what does this mean?”

  “I don’t know,” Richard breathed. “Your guess is as good as mine.”

  The days passed quickly and the beginning of September brought cooler weather. Kayla was almost a week overdue for her delivery date. What had started out as Richard dropping off pineapple for Kayla as a favor to Andrew, who had court, now had Richard in the maternity ward with her in labor.

  “Richard, thank you for being here,” Kayla whimpered.

  He smiled. “I know Andrew would do the same if Toni’s water broke on the doorstep when she answered the door.”

  She smiled and then groaned. “The contractions are starting to come closer together. What if Andrew misses this?”

  “Relax.” He took Kayla’s hand. “I’ve called and left him a message and sent a text. He will get them as soon as court gets out which should be soon.”

  She squeezed his hand and her face scrunched. “Where’s Toni?”

  “She was down in Orange County meeting with a client and last time I checked, stuck on the 405—which she compared to a parking lot. Piper is picking up Gabriel from school—everything is under control.”

  “Noooooo!” She whimpered and placed her other hand on her stomach. “If it was under control I would have asked for drugs and not done this naturally.” Wow. She sounded hostile. “I want drugs.”

  Richard tried to think of what he knew about childbirth. Nothing. His sister had a baby. He showed up after the fact. Kayla groaned as another contraction took over.

  Where the hell is the nurse?

  “Is there breathing exercises or something you can do?” Never in a million years did he think those words would ever leave his mouth.

  Kayla squeezed his hand again and this time, with vice grip like strength. Yessss!” She sounded more hostile than moments ago.

  Hurry up Andrew.

  “Okay let’s squeeze the hand that doesn’t have the wedding ring on it.” He quickly changed hand
s. “Come on, big deep breath in.” He inhaled deeply and Kayla followed suit.

  She slowly exhaled and repeated the process a couple times and soon wasn’t reacting as badly to the contractions. “At least this gives you practice.”

  “For what?”

  “If you and Toni have kids.”

  Richard was taken aback by her words and blinked. “She’d make a good mom.” He meant the words and the strangest sensation flashed over him. “I haven’t even told her I love her.” The words left him in a low, quiet tone. He wasn’t sure if it was a confession or a thought that had fallen off his tongue.

  “You do though, right?” she asked in between calculated inhales and exhales. He met Kayla’s gaze and smiled. “Very much.”

  “Why haven’t you told her?”

  Richard had his reasons, and considering current circumstances, he didn’t think now was the time to explain.

  “Kayla!” Andrew’s voice called as he entered the room.

  “I swear I thought I was going to have this baby without you!” And again…there was the temper of hormone induced hostility.

  His friend met his gaze. “Richard, thank you so much.”

  He smiled. “No problem, I know you’d do the same if the situations were reversed.” Richard turned to Kayla. “I’m going to turn your hand over to your husband and try and get the feeling back in mine, you’re doing great.” He winked for encouragement.

  Kayla nodded and cast him a tear-filled smile. She released his hand and reached for Andrew.

  “I’m going to give you guys a minute, track down a coffee and try calling my wife.”

  “Thank you, again,” Andrew told him with a sigh, which he took as relief.

  He nodded once then walked out of the room. He started down the hallway toward the waiting room and reached for his cell phone.

  “Richard!” Toni called hurrying toward him. “How is she?”

  “Doing good. I was just about to call you.” He studied the woman before him and realized he’d admitted how he felt about her to her best friend. However, even now fear stopped him from telling Toni how he felt. He had to eventually.

  First things had to change.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Almost an anniversary…

  “I can’t believe Andrew and I have been married over a year already.” Kayla sighed with a smile as she cradled one-month-old baby, Meghan Antonia Clement, in her arms.

  Toni smiled and exchanged a look with Piper. “I can because, Richard and I will have been married the same amount of time tomorrow. We got married nine days after you.”

  “Oh God that’s right!” Piper laughed. “So, I take it the two of you are not ending the marriage like originally planned?”

  Toni blinked at her sister-in-law. “No, I can’t see why, things are amazing. I almost told him I love him the other night.”

  Kayla’s eyes widened. “You haven’t told him?”

  “You’re kidding right?” Piper’s expression was a mixture of curiosity and surprise.

  She bounced her look between her two friends. “No. However in my defense—he hasn’t said it either.”

  Doubt started to consume her. Maybe there was a reason why he hadn’t. Like he didn’t feel the same way. Marriage by court order—sex by convenience. No. She was just being paranoid or was she?

  “Okay, interesting look on your face. What is running through your mind?”

  Where did she even begin? She stared Kayla in the eyes. “I don’t know.” Her gaze rested on Meghan asleep in her mom’s arms. “I don’t know why I never told him—I guess it was because he hasn’t said it and…” Her heart started to race and every insecurity she ever had came flooding back. Her breathing became ragged and what if she had just been functioning in a fairy tale state of mind.

  “Whoa!” Piper lifted her hands as if to stop her. “Breathe. You’re worrying and hitting the panic button.”

  “I’m fine.”

  Kayla snorted. “Now you’re lying.” She shook her head. “What has stopped you? Hell, for that matter what has stopped him?”

  She didn’t know how to respond. Toni had no answers. “I don’t know.” She slumped onto one of the stools at the breakfast bar. Her stomach started to ache and tension was tightening the muscles in her neck and shoulders, working their way up to a headache.

  “Instead of getting worked up over nothing, why don’t you just come out and tell my brother you love him and want to be with him?”

  Blinking at Piper, she knew her friends were being logical. “You’re right. I mean, it shouldn’t be this difficult.” She paused and gathered the courage to say the next words allowed. Doing so would make her biggest fear all that more real. “What if he doesn’t love me back?”

  Kayla’s eyes widened and her mouth gaped open. “You can’t be serious? You’re worried about that?”

  She frowned. “Wouldn’t you be concerned?”

  “No,” her friend responded. “I would have told him I loved him by now.”

  “This wasn’t supposed to happen. I wasn’t supposed to fall in love with him. I have though and I’m scared.” She recalled the last few weeks. “He seems different, and I think it’s more than work. Things seem fine, he’s just pre-occupied.”

  “I think instead of wondering and going crazy, you should just come out and tell him.”

  Kayla nodded in agreement. “I know when I was in labor he told me he loved you.”

  Toni couldn’t shake the uncertainty. He definitely acted as if he did. However, she’d been wrong before. “Then why hasn’t he told me?”

  Piper sighed. “Why don’t you ask him?”

  She swiped her purse and keys off the counter and nodded. They were right of course. She had to do it now or after tomorrow, she might find herself back in court, divorce court. She gulped in a steadying breath and told them, “I think I will. I’ll call you both later.” She walked toward the threshold of the kitchen. “Wish me luck.”

  “You don’t need it,” Kayla laughed.

  Toni wasn’t so sure but she hastened out to her corvette and climbed in. All the way to the office she tried to find the courage to say the words. She recalled the last years and despite the doubts, some quiet whisper in the back of her mind, or maybe her heart, told her he really did love her too.

  By the time she stepped off the elevator her palms were sweating and nerves had sent flutters into her stomach. She lived with him, was married to him, and had sex with him. Saying three little words shouldn’t be rocket science. Toni turned down the corridor and noticed Richard’s door almost closed.

  “The marriage wasn’t real,” Richard stated.

  Her footsteps halted and her heart slammed to a stop.

  “It was court ordered,” he continued as a hard knot formed where the nervous flutters had been. “My mother threatened to sell the company if we didn’t make it believable. Which we did, and were convincing.”

  Why would he tell someone this?

  “I didn’t have any intentions of getting married or having a family.”

  Hot acid churned in her stomach and bile rose to her throat. Despite the urge to throw open the door and confront him, the need to throw up was more overwhelming. She quietly turned and hurried back to the elevator. Toni pushed the button and debated hitting the ladies room first. Only, she just wanted to put distance between herself and Richard.

  The elevator doors opened about the same time her body went numb. She entered and pushed the button in a zombie like state. By the time the elevator reached the lower parking level her heart had officially broken.

  Toni knew two things beyond all doubt. One, she was going to be sick and two, her heart would never recover.

  Two hours later, she sat on the sofa with Vette snuggled in next to her leg and Boxter curled up in her lap. For the moment, her stomach had settled but grief had taken over her body leaving her chilled to the bone and a heavy weight on her chest. She wanted to tell herself maybe she’d misunderstood w
hat she heard, but no matter how she tried to justify it, the blatantly stated truth remained.

  The marriage wasn’t real and the last year of her life had been…well in that single word used by Richard himself, convincing. She thought she would have broken down and cried by now. The tears hadn’t come yet—maybe they wouldn’t. There was a chance…

  The door lock rattled and Richard strode in. He turned and started toward the hall when he noticed her. “I didn’t realize you were here. I thought you were getting together with Kayla and Piper.”

  “I did, and then went to run some errands and came home.” She paused and debated briefly how to proceed without being accusatory. She carefully picked up Boxter, shuffled around Vette and placed her brother down next to her. “I would like to talk to you about something.”

  “Well, you’ll have to talk while I pack.”

  His statement hit her like a slap to the face. “Pack?”

  “It’s a long story and I have a flight to catch.” His expression revealed nothing. He wasn’t usually so short with her. Well he was at one time, back on the day and the couple days after, when she’d made contact with his Mercedes window. “Talk to me in the bedroom.” He turned and walked toward their room. The first emotion since she’d gone numb became identifiable. Anger—her temper kicked in.

  She followed him down the hall and stopped when he hauled out the suitcase and placed it on the bed. “Richard! This is important.”

  “Catching this flight is more important.” He paused and met her gaze. “Toni, what’s going on?”

  “I was about to ask you the same question.”

  “I have to head to Dallas. I’ll be gone a couple days.”

  “I can’t go.” The words fell off her tongue while her brain tried to catch up with what was going on.

  “I know. That’s why I’m going by myself.”

  “The gala—”

  “I should be back for it.” He began rummaging in the large walk in closet.

  “You should?” Did she wake up in an alternate universe? “Wow, could you possibly sound anymore like Erick?”

  “Oh God, Toni! It’s not like that.”

  Her stomach started to ache again and now she wasn’t just angry she was becoming emotional. “Really, because every time your brother says he should be there—he never shows. Hell, he left half way through Easter, he never bothered to show for Fourth of July and he sent a postcard for your parent’s 39th anniversary instead of going to the party my parents threw for them.”