Addicted to Love

by Deborah Cooke

  “Because it’s supposed to be a guy from a movie, a guy who was named Rocky Horror,” Dave explained.

  “That’s a stupid name,” One said. “Even dumber than Sprout One and Sprout Two.”

  “How’d he get a stupid name?” Two asked.

  “His creator gave it to him,” Kyle said. “He was made a kind of mad scientist from outer space.”

  “Cool!” the boys said in unison. “Can we see the movie?”

  “You can watch it with your uncle Kyle when you turn eighteen,” Olivia said.

  “Oh, it’s that kind of movie,” Sprout One said wisely. His younger brother looked at him without comprehension.

  “What do you know about that kind of movie?” Kyle asked, just as Cassie made her entrance. He didn’t realize she’d been in the shop until she emerged from it, wearing her favorite black dominatrix outfit. He remembered that she was taking over the introductory BDSM class for couples this afternoon, since he’d rearranged his schedule to accommodate Rick. The black latex catsuit left little to the imagination and he noted again that Cassie was in awesome shape. Her blond hair was pulled up in a ponytail that swung as she walked. She was wearing high black boots with stiletto heels and carrying a bullwhip. Kyle liked to call her Domme Barbie when she was in this outfit, but he figured he shouldn’t say that here and now.

  Dave’s jaw dropped as she approached. He pushed up his glasses for a better look.

  Sprout One was taking a look, too.

  Olivia reached up with a single fingertip and pushed Dave’s mouth closed. “Don’t drool on this stone floor,” she said quietly. “Someone will slip and hurt themselves.” Kyle wasn’t sure who she was warning, exactly, but Sonia smiled.

  “One of my partners, Cassie Wilson,” Kyle said.

  “I didn’t think F5 was that kind of club,” Dave managed to say.

  “It isn’t,” Cassie said, smiling as she joined them. “But Kyle had the brilliant idea that we could teach some classes to couples. It’s fun, and we’ve moved a lot of branded merchandise. It’s been an amazing profit center.”

  “That’s my brother, the idea guy.”

  “The shameless opportunist,” Cassie teased and Kyle chuckled.

  “It’s a gift.”

  “Here I thought there’d be just yoga pants in the shop,” Kyle’s mom said, her eyes brightening. “You have to give me time to look.”

  “Mom!” Kyle and Dave protested in unison.

  “I used to have a lovely pink leather flogger, but I don’t remember where it is exactly, and I certainly didn’t pack it for the trip. I should have a look before I meet Kenneth.”

  Kyle held up his hands. “I am not going there.”

  “Me, neither,” Dave agreed.

  “What’s a flogger?” Sprout One asked.

  “Uncle Kyle can tell you when you’re eighteen,” Dave said.

  Florence excused herself and headed for the shop with purpose.

  “Poor Kenneth,” Dave added under his breath. “I wonder if he has any idea what he’s getting into.”

  Kyle doubted it. He waved the sticker at Cassie. “You’ll love this. The kids picked it out to be me on the back of their van.”

  “Only when he’s visiting,” Two said.

  Cassie took one look and laughed. Then she burst into song, belting out a familiar tune like she’d been born to be on Broadway. Kyle had always been awed by her voice. “Such strenuous living, I can’t understand,” she sang in a more than decent impression of Tim Curry. “When in just seven days...” She cracked her whip and the new arrivals jumped.

  “I can make you a ma-a-a-an!” Kyle sang along with her, then the two laughed themselves silly.

  The sprouts looked blank, while Olivia and Dave exchanged a glance. “Are there things you haven’t told me about your brother?” Olivia asked.

  “Nothing I know,” Dave replied. “Scouts’ honor.”

  “It’s how Cassie and I met,” Kyle explained.

  “He was on a date,” Cassie said. “I was having fun.”

  “So much fun that we ended up on the stage singing and my date left without me.”

  “T-t-t-touch me,” Cassie sang then smiled wickedly. “That’s what did it.”

  Kyle laughed again. “Can’t really blame her in hindsight, but it was just fun.”

  “You saw that movie together,” Sprout One accused. “The one we’re not allowed to see.”

  “And we went to see it again every Friday night for a whole semester,” Kyle said. “It was a blast.”

  Sonia asked Cassie about some client registrations and she turned away.

  Kyle surveyed the family before him. “So, what are the big plans? How long are you staying? Where are you staying?”

  “A chain hotel midtown,” Dave said and named it. “Costs the earth and the room is about the size of our mud room. We’ll stay through the weekend, then head home.”

  “Assuming the boys don’t kill each other by then,” Olivia said under her breath.

  “That’s a long drive for a short trip. Don’t you think Mom could have checked it out on her own?”

  Dave gave him an intent look and Kyle understood. His brother wanted to talk about something.

  Then Dave smiled. “We weren’t sure we’d see you at Christmas, given your allergy to new babies.”

  “Even pregnancy,” Kyle said, pointing to his inner arm. “Look. A hive.”

  Olivia laughed at him.

  “Want to meet for dinner later?” Dave asked Kyle.

  “I’m dying for Japanese,” Olivia contributed. “Even if you’re working, can you recommend a good place?” The sprouts made gagging noises until their mom shushed them.

  Kyle couldn’t imagine being trapped in a van with them all across the country, never mind spending every hour of every day with them. Dave was right about Christmas. There was no way he wanted to visit their very nice, very small house, with two sprouts and a new baby in residence.

  All the same, Kyle recognized the glint in his brother’s eye of a man who hadn’t had sex in far too long. Dave and Olivia deserved a treat after what had to have been a drive from hell.

  Never mind that his mother had been part of the adventure, too.

  They deserved a night together, without the sprouts, and Kyle could do that for them. “Tell you what,” he said, taking one of the F5 cards on impulse and writing the name of a great Japanese restaurant on the back. It cost a bomb, but everything was always perfect and women were always impressed by both service and food. If Dave didn’t get lucky after this, it wouldn’t be Kyle’s fault. “I’ll make you a reservation for this place. It’s one of my favorites and it’s always busy.” He pulled out his phone to book right away, hoping it wasn’t too late.

  “Is it expensive?” Olivia asked, reading the address as he called. She’d evidently already learned a bit about New York neighborhoods.

  Someone answered the call, sparing him the need to answer. “How about seven?” he suggested to Dave and Olivia, who nodded in unison. Kyle booked a table for two, mentioning the one he liked best and hearing the smile in the voice of the woman at the restaurant. He also gave his credit card number for the bill.

  “You’re not paying!” Dave protested, but Kyle waved him off, then ended the call.

  “I am so.”

  “But you forgot something,” Olivia said, holding her hands over the heads of the two sprouts.

  “What about us?” Sprout One demanded. “Do we have to eat raw fish, too?”

  The two boys added mock vomiting to their gagging noises and Kyle couldn’t stand it. His brother must have noticed his reaction.

  “Hey, look!” Dave said and the boys spun to look in the direction he pointed. “An indoor rock climbing wall. How cool is that?”

  “Wow!” Sprout Two said. Sprout One looked less impressed, but then he would have been excited by a powerful computer with a big screen.

  “They can go look,” Kyle said. “Thom won’t allow them on the
wall without gear and parental permission.”

  At Olivia’s nod, they ran toward the wall. Thom didn’t have a class for a few minutes, and Kyle watched to ensure that he saw the boys. He waved and Thom acknowledged the gesture with a nod. True to form, Sprout One began with the questions, and Thom squatted down to answer them.

  “Tonight can be your date night,” Kyle said to Olivia. “My treat. It’s got to be costing you a fortune to visit this city as a family of five, and as much as I appreciate you bolstering the local economy—” he flicked the tip of Dave’s foam crown “—I think you deserve it.” He dropped his voice to a confidential tone. “Word to the wise: don’t wear the crown to dinner. It’s not that kind of place.”

  “But the kids...” Olivia said. Dave averted his face and winced a little.

  “Can come to my place.” Kyle shuddered inside even as he said the words, but he knew there was very little they could destroy.

  He’d let Lauren in—three times—and survived. Surely this couldn’t be much worse.

  “You know how to feed kids?” Dave asked.

  “How hard can it be? We’ll have burgers or something,” Kyle said. “Pizza. What do they eat anyway?”

  “Burgers. Pizza,” Olivia said with a shrug. “Pretty much anything junky, despite my best efforts.” She gave Kyle a look. “Are you sure?”

  “Mom can help. She’s done the kid thing before.”

  “True!” Olivia’s concern faded. “That would be wonderful, Kyle.” She reached up and took Dave’s hand. “Thank you!”

  Dave gave Kyle a hard look. “You don’t mind if we’re late?”

  Kyle nodded understanding. “No problem at all.” He dropped his voice to an entreaty as the boys came roaring back across the lobby. “Just come back. Please.”

  “It might be easier if they stayed overnight,” Dave negotiated.

  Kyle sighed. He just couldn’t resist the hope in their expressions. “All right.”

  “Yes!” Dave fist-pumped. “You’re officially my favorite brother.”

  “I’m your only brother!” Kyle raised a hand. “But at seven tomorrow, I’ve got to come to work.

  “Can you drop them off at the hotel?”

  More time in bed. Kyle understood exactly what his brother was thinking. “Probably. Or maybe Mom can.”

  “That will work,” Olivia said with real pleasure. She stood up and kissed Kyle’s cheek as the boys came running back. “You’re officially my favorite brother-in-law.”

  Kyle laughed.

  “Why?” Sprout One demanded. “What’s he done?”

  “You’re going to stay at Uncle Kyle’s place tonight.”

  “Yes!” One shouted and gave his brother a high five. “Sleepover at Uncle Kyle’s!” He got a look in his eye that was starting to be familiar. “Maybe we could watch some movies.”

  Kyle deliberately misunderstood. “I’m sure there’s some kids’ movie on cable. We’ll let Grandma choose.”

  The boys groaned in unison. “Aladdin, again.”

  To Kyle’s relief, Rick came charging across the lobby then, looking as if he’d rather be anywhere else. “Sorry I’m late,” he said, not sounding apologetic at all.

  Kyle snapped his fingers. “Tick tock. Fifteen minutes already gone and you paid for them, Rick. We’ll just have to work extra hard for the remaining forty-five. See you in the weight room, pronto.” Rick scurried to the change room as Cassie turned back to Kyle.

  “Ooo, I like it when you’re bossy,” she said, pretending to shiver.

  Kyle was saved the need to reply because his mom called from the shop. “Kyle? Can I get a family discount?”

  “Sure!” Kyle called.

  “I do not want to know what she’s buying,” Dave murmured and Kyle nodded agreement.

  “I’ll find out,” Olivia said, then gave her husband a fierce look. “Jason and Noah, go watch the climbers on that wall again and make sure you behave,” she ordered and they headed back with less enthusiasm this time. “Maybe I’ll take advantage of that family discount, too.” She paused halfway to the shop as if a thought had just occurred to her and turned back to Kyle. “Your place? Any bad influences? Unsuitable content?”

  “Clean as a whistle,” he said, holding up his hands. “A veritable Disneyland.”

  “You probably have different rides,” Dave said under his breath.

  Kyle laughed, then gave his brother a hug. “I’ve got to teach that private session. I’ll come by the hotel at six to get Mom and the sprouts. That’ll give Olivia a little time to primp.”

  “Deal. And hey, I need to talk to you.”

  “Anything serious?”

  “Kind of.”

  “Can you sum it up in thirty seconds?”

  “You bet.” Dave dropped his voice low. “I have a feeling I’m going to be deployed in the next year. There’s nothing official...”

  Kyle sobered. “But I used to make good money betting on your feelings of what was going to happen.”

  Dave’s smile was quick. “Yeah, I remember. Look, Ryan was killed in action, and Jason remembers. He and I haven’t really clicked, but I think he relies on me more than he realizes. And he hasn’t got a big brother to follow around, so if the man in his life disappears like my dad did...”

  Kyle gave his brother a quick hug. “I got it.” His throat was tight. “But don’t go doing some dumb ass thing.”

  “You don’t have to be a dumb ass, Kyle. You just have to be unlucky.”

  “Well, you’ve got that sewn up,” Kyle said cheerfully. “Show me a luckier guy.”

  “Exactly.” Olivia came out of the shop and Dave smiled for her, but dropped his voice. “Don’t say one thing to Olivia. It’s just a feeling, and she’s had a hard enough time with this pregnancy.”

  “You’ll be here for the delivery?”

  “Absolutely.”

  “Got it,” Kyle said, then made a joke to lighten the mood. “But you cannot leave me alone with Mom. Have some mercy in your soul.”

  Dave grinned and shook a finger at him. “Mom’s going to move to New York,” he teased, almost singing the words. Olivia came within earshot and laughed.

  “And my life will be over. I kind of hope Kenneth is a jerk.” Kyle indicated the shop. “Olivia, can you make sure she buys some really fierce gear so he runs away in terror? It’s my only chance.”

  “I know what she bought,” Olivia said with a wicked smile. “Kenneth is either going to flee or think he’s in heaven.”

  They laughed together, then Kyle went to meet Rick in the weight room.

  He needed to befriend a sprout. He had no idea where to begin, but Dave was counting on him, and that was one of the few things that mattered to Kyle.

  Somehow, he had to connect with the little geek.

  * * *

  His mother bailed on him.

  Kyle couldn’t believe it. He got to the hotel and Florence was in the lobby, waiting, but dressed in a glamorous black dinner suit that had to be impractical for tending kids.

  “A little overdressed for a night with the rug rats, don’t you think, Mom?” Kyle asked when he kissed her cheek.

  His mother laughed and preened a little. “Kenneth is taking me to dinner and the theater.”

  “What?”

  “He got tickets to that musical. I think he was motivated when I told him about my shopping...”

  “Mom! I can’t watch them alone...”

  “Of course you can, dear. You’re an adult and they’re no trouble.”

  “Are we talking about the same kids?”

  His mother became stern. “You suggested a nice thing, Kyle, so don’t rescind your offer now. You’ll just look like a jerk.”

  “Looking like a jerk might work for me in this situation.”

  “Well, it doesn’t work for me.”

  “But, I was planning on having your help tonight.”

  She smiled. “But instead, I’m going to have a nice evening, too. I’ll come at midn
ight and save you.”

  “You will not. Not unless Kenneth is a complete wash.”

  His mother shrugged and smiled secretly. “Look at it this way. It’ll be good for you. Show you how the other half lives.”

  “I might never have sex again,” he muttered as the boys came racing out of the elevator with their knapsacks. They jumped around him, peppering him with questions in their excitement. Dave waved from inside the elevator, clearly intending to just drop them off and head back up to the room. He frowned when he saw Florence.

  “Don’t say a thing,” she hissed to Kyle. “We’ll get separate cabs outside.”

  Kyle was shocked. “You didn’t even tell Dave and Olivia?”

  “What they don’t know won’t hurt them.” His mom grabbed the boys’ hands, keeping one on each side of her, and marched out of the lobby. Kyle stared after her, wondering how exactly everything had gone to crap before he could stop it, then his mom fired a glare over her shoulder.

  How many more date nights would Dave and Olivia have in the foreseeable future? And deployment wasn’t a joke. He couldn’t cancel on this night.

  Maybe the boys would collapse in exhaustion as soon as they ate.

  Maybe it was true that no good deed ever went unpunished.

  * * *

  If Kyle had been the kind of person to imagine hell, it would have been a whole lot like his evening—which had only started forty minutes before. Jason and Noah had more energy than a barrel of monkeys, plus they seemed to think that being at Kyle’s place gave them a license to do anything.

  They wrestled in the living room, knocking over the only table there so that the stone top cracked. They announced that the television wasn’t big enough and that he was some kind of loser for not having a couch or a dog. Noah had already fallen off the bar stool and Kyle thought he might get to find out what the emergency room was like on a random Thursday night, but had been spared that adventure. He refused to let them play games on his phone, hid the remote to the television, and was starting to wonder if they could crash through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Noah had just dropped an entire glass of grape juice on the cream rug when Kyle snapped.

  “Sit! Now!” he roared. “Silence!”