“I always think about that song. I wonder if it’s true, if you really are that cold-hearted on the inside. I guess come summer, we’ll find out if it is,” he squeezed her palm before releasing it.
Catching her breath, “What’s that supposed to mean?” her blue eyes sparked angrily.
Shoving his hands in his pockets he grinned, “It means, that’s when we find out if you’ll keep your word.” Leaning forward, he kissed her gently, brushing her cheek with his nose, his heart pounding in his chest. Stepping back, he turned and left her there, heading for the stairs to make his way to bed.
Like It or Lump It
Tori could feel the anger boiling inside her as she watched his back disappear. Son of a bitch, she continued to curse him under her breath. That was low, but in the end she knew it had been her own fault. Bastard.
Strolling over to the bar, she found the access and made her way around behind it, where a seemingly endless supply of bottles stood in a row. Making her way down, she ran her finger lightly across the labels, stopping to pull her hand away as if it had been burned when she came to the right one. Staring at it for a moment, she licked her upper lip, her heart continuing to knock against her ribs.
Her fingers trembling slightly, she reached out to grasp the slender neck, pulling it against her chest and cradling it there while she searched for a glass. Finding one, she sat it on the bar, pouring the shot and placing the container on the wooden top with a loud thud.
Breathing in shallow pants, Tori sang along with the music that filtered in from somewhere else in the house. Her tongue slid over her lip again, and she rocked her head side to side, seeming to stretch her neck while she considered the burn that would follow the lifting of the tumbler. Reaching out with a single finger, she skimmed it lightly around the edge, picturing it being placed against her mouth as she drank.
What the hell are you waiting for? She stared at the glass. Michael won’t like me doing this. Her finger trembled as she swiped the edge again. Of course, if he doesn’t like it, he can lump it. The thought made her smile for a moment, easing her anger at her mate. That was a pretty good prank, really. I never saw it coming. She had never thought of her husband as smart before.
But that was a good move. All he had to do was play until he had the lead and then quit. She smiled at the idea that he had beaten her. Maybe we’re more evenly matched than I realized.
“Ya gonna drink that?”
Tori jumped visibly and swung her gaze towards the voice to find a short kid standing next to her. “What?”
“ARE YOU GONNA DRINK THAT!?!” he shouted, pointing at the glass that sat in front of her.
Looking at the small container as if it might bite her, Tori drew her hand away from the beverage and slowly backed away from the bar.
“No. You can have it.” Without waiting for his response, she darted out of the room and made her way up the stairs, realizing before she got to the top that she couldn’t go back to their room. It’s too soon; she rationalized, and if I do, then it’s like he wins… again. I can’t let that happen.
Moving quietly down the hall, Tori opened the door to the bedroom next to theirs and peeked inside, half expecting to find people in it as the house crawled with party guests. Finding the space unoccupied, she closed the door and locked it, not wanting to be disturbed.
Flicking the light on, she could see that it had been lain out the same as theirs. Deciding she liked it better dark, she turned the light off and made her way down between the bed and the bathroom wall, putting her shoulder into the corner and resting her forehead against the print of the paper covering. Her mind still turning, she recalled the last time she had slept in a corner.
Thanksgiving Day, or the day after really. The day Michael told her she had to join the band. He denied it tonight, but I know he said it that way. She exhaled loudly in disgust. And he made that bet, so I’m supposed to go home with him after the tour and quit the band. She cursed him all over again while she drifted off to sleep.
Tori awoke sometime later to blinding white light. Using her hand to cover her eyes, she screamed out, “What the fuck?!?” barely able to make out the outline of her husband standing over her.
Michael panted slightly, trying to slow his breathing. The house had gone quiet hours ago, and he had waited patiently for a while, before he had gotten worried and begun his search. “You ok?” he asked as he wiped his mouth with his arm, trying to appear calm.
“Yeah, I’m fine, could you turn the fucking light off?” she demanded crossly.
Hopping towards the switch, he snapped it crisply, “Sorry.” Pausing, he drew a cleansing breath, relieved that she had been in the room, instead of someone else, after he went to the trouble to pry the lock. And she’s alone. He hated to admit that part had concerned him the most.
Using the wall as his guide, he made his way back around and sank down next to her on the floor. “You gave me quite a scare,” he admitted softly. “Thought something might have happened to you.”
“Nope. I’m fine. Just pissed, that’s all.”
“Cause you lost our bet, huh,” he stated with a small degree of satisfaction.
“Yup. Course, I can see that you would’ve felt the same way if it had been you having to pay up.” She smiled at the thought of him bending her over and using the gel, the way everyone else always did. Well, almost everyone else.
“There’s no way I was going to lose,” he stated confidently.
“Yeah, I figured that out after you left.” She sounded a little sad, and he looked over at her sideways, able to make out her silhouette in the dim light.
“I was really surprised you didn’t see it before.”
“Nope. I’m not that smart, I guess,” she wafted her hand, as if she were shooing a fly away from her face.
“Sure you are. Smartest girl I ever met. Maybe the smartest person. Just didn’t have your head in the game at the moment, so to speak.” He grinned, “You don’t have to honor the wager if you don’t want to.”
Tori cut her eyes over at him, “If I don’t have to honor it, then what was all that bullshit about my song, and finding out if I’m really a cold hearted bitch. I told you I am. I have no intention of giving up on the band. Whether you like it or not, I’m here, and I’m not going to quit.”
Michael dusted at his pant leg nervously, “Yeah, I know. And I don’t really want you to quit. Not for me. If you quit, I want it to be because that’s what you want to do, ya know?”
She could see his teeth gleaming as he grinned. “You mean that?” she asked calmly, feeling herself being drawn to him.
“Of course. I always want what’s best for you. I want you to make good choices and to have a good life. A happy life. I can’t give you everything, but I’ll give you everything that I can,” he said cryptically.
She nodded, glad she had left the glass sitting on the bar. “I really do love you, Michael Anderson,” she said calmly, causing him to laugh.
“Yeah, some days I’m sure you do. And I love you, too,” his voice trailed away as he spoke. He reached for her in the darkness, ready to take her back to their room, where there would be no chance of being interrupted while he showed her how much.
Safe and Secure
The next morning, three days before Christmas, Tori took an early run. As her off day, it would be all the workout she allowed herself. Michael headed to the gym, and she snuck in before he had finished to observe him as he worked. She loved how hard he worked, and enjoyed taking in the show, keenly aware that he pushed himself much harder than he had in the past. His skin glistening with sweat, he reached for a towel when he finished, causing her mind to go blank for a moment, and her face to flush.
“What?” he demanded playfully.
“Nothing,” she shook her head, “You look pretty good for an old guy,” she grinned as she teased.
“Ha! I’m not old, baby girl. Older than you, but still young enough to take care of business,” he winked at her
and left what kind of business to her imagination.
Standing to accompany him out of the room, her smile faded, “Are you sure we’re not in danger?” She could see the disappointment cross his face that they were back on that topic again, but she couldn’t ignore her questions any longer.
“Naw, I told you not to be afraid, didn’t I?” he laid the towel across his neck, in a twisted roll, guiding her to the stairs, “We’re fine, love.”
“Well, I’ve been thinking,” she broached the subject cautiously, “About Peter Farside. Do you really think things are secure enough around here? And what about when we go out in public?” She paused at the door of their bedroom, “I’ve never been in this kind of position before, so I don’t know if things are really good enough or not. I hate to say that if I wanted to break in, it would be a piece of cake. At least I’m pretty confident that it would be.”
Taking her arm, he guided her into their bedroom, “I’ve kind of been wondering the same thing,” he admitted quietly. “I tried to make suggestions, but he doesn’t want to hear them, and the guys don’t want to talk about replacing him, so that means we’re pretty much stuck. You’re still afraid I won’t go on the tour, aren’t you.”
“Yeah,” she admitted in a modest tone, “That’s part of it I guess. You know, living with you, and the halfway house before that, are my only experiences at indoor life. I want to know that we’re safe here. Maybe we could snoop around and see if things are up to snuff,” she suggested, pretty confident that they weren’t.
“Would it make you feel better if we did?” he pulled off his shorts and stood naked before her, ready to get in the shower.
Tori’s eyes dropped, her voice growing faint, “Sure, we could do… that…”
He could tell she had lost her train of thought, grinning as he reached for her. “Ok, we’ll do some snooping,” he nuzzled her neck, his fingers gliding across her silky spandex, “Let’s start here,” he mocked, pushing his hand down her pants, searching for folds of flesh.
Tori giggled, her fingers gliding across his smooth muscles. “You’re so bad,” she whispered. “A little more so and you’d be perfect.” Pressing her body against his, the pair spent the better part of the next hour doing the nasty things that made each other happy.
After they were showered and dressed, the couple made their way down for breakfast and to decide where to start their search. Enjoying their meal along with the others, the couple noticed that the rest of the group was busy making their own plans. Taking seats next to each other at their usual corner of the table, they would be able to have at least some privacy.
Tori used their German while she recalled what he had told her previously about the security of the estate. They had first discussed it when they had visited with Eli Founder, after the Scorpions had trashed the place. “You once had four guys, right? Gate, cameras, and two for patrolling?”
“That’s right,” he confirmed in kind. “But I know for a fact that all of those guys have been eliminated. There isn’t really a team anymore, and Pete’s pretty much it.”
Her jaw dropped at hearing this, “You’re kidding me. No one even guards the entrance?” They had come in and out a few times in the limo, but she had never noticed that there wasn’t an actual person in the gatehouse.
“Nope, it’s electronic. Same with the cameras. No one watches the monitors anymore; it’s all computerized. Anything out of the ordinary sets off an alarm on his phone, and he takes care of it.” Michael grimaced as he described what he had learned about the new system.
“You already checked it all out then. Even before I asked,” she eyed him warily.
Turning his palm to the ceiling, he shrugged, “Well, yeah, I guess I did, more or less. I wanted to be sure. Like you.” He smiled, hoping she didn’t lose confidence over the issue.
Finishing the meal, Tori felt eager to have a look at the set up for herself. Listening to the others before she left the table, she recalled that Cody and Collin were leaving later that day for Nebraska. “So, when’re you guys coming back?”
“We’ll be back New Year’s Eve day,” Cody supplied, “We got a big bash planned that night.”
Tori giggled, “Another one?” She grimaced, recalling how her one and only attendance had worked out for her, “You guys party a lot, you know that.”
“We’re rock stars, what did you expect?” Collin shrugged at her, seemingly unaware of their moment against the wall the night before. “Livin’ the dream, babe.”
Staring at him with a slack jaw, she decided not to bring it to his attention. “Well, you guys have fun, and we’ll see you in a week,” she smiled, thinking that the oversized dwelling would be a little lonely without everyone there.
Leaving the guys to be on their way, Tori followed Michael through the house while he gave her the particulars on where the alarms and triggers were located. She felt disgusted to find that none of the second-floor windows were wired. “So, what if someone climbs up?”
“First, they have to get onto the estate. Then, they would have to make it up to the house without being detected, which wouldn’t be easy. Plus, the climb to even get there would be difficult and or hazardous. It would take a special person to accomplish all that. I have to admit, I’m not real concerned about it,” he tried to soothe her troubled thoughts.
Making their way out to the gate, Tori peered into the vacant guard’s booth, noticing that it had been shuttered in such a way that it wasn’t obvious that it held no occupant. Eyeing the electronic keypad, she inquired about the device, “Who has access?”
“The code is the same as the back gate,” he shrugged, “So if you ever want to come in from here in the front, you simply type it in. The limo driver has a remote, so he opens it without even stopping, which is probably why you never noticed the missing man. And if anyone else were to come up, without either of those things, the call button goes to Pete, and he can allow access via his little gadget. Overall, it runs just as smoothly as having an actual person here.”
Tori swallowed hard, wishing she hadn’t asked. “I hope you don’t take offense that knowing all of this doesn’t make me feel any better. At least tell me that Pete is close at hand.”
“Now that, I can do,” he chuckled and indicated the garage with a small cottage attached to it. “I’m sure you’re aware that the limo driver and gardener reside in there, and Pete also has a room. One of the perks of the job; free housing. Of course, the few other rooms that the other guys held are vacant; not that it really matters.”
Tori stared at the small structure, situated a few hundred yards away from the house, nodding slowly, “You stayed there when you worked here?”
“Yeah, as a matter of fact, I did. And you have to understand that all of these things are designed to keep out your typical crazies, star stalkers, and the like,” he held his hand up to indicate they should head back to the house. “Things are pretty much the same as when I ran them; it’s just all done by one person, with the help of technology.”
He wafted his hands at the perimeter walls, “It would be nearly impossible to keep the people you’re thinking about out with a typical home system if they wanted in, guards or not. But then again, they don’t know where you are, and you took care of the nosey press, so they’re a non-issue.” He grinned at her, watching her breath frost as she crunched through the snow beside him. “Like I said, we’re safe enough. Safe and secure, no doubt in my mind.”
“Yeah,” she agreed as they reached the door, “I guess you’re right.” No sense making a big deal and scaring everyone. She hadn’t had any bad vibes in a while, maybe it’s time I really started believing there are good things in my future, instead of looking for the clouds.
Gifts Galore
Christmas morning dawned crisp and bright. Cody and Collin were in Nebraska, and Stella was the only other person on the estate, besides Tori, her husband, and her brother, as the limo driver and even Pete had gone for the day. The housekeeper had spent C
hristmas Eve visiting some family, but had returned to cook a large meal for the three of them to have for their Christmas dinner.
Rising early, the couple hit the gym. Having removed his shirt, he pushed himself with his sweaty, hair covered chest exposed, making it very difficult for her to focus, and causing her to lose count twice during the process. By the end, she lamented that she should be allowed to do the same, see how he liked it.
Laughing at her typical sex driven escapades, Michael took her upstairs, where he finished her with his agile tongue before they moved to the shower for a round against the wall. He deeply enjoyed those encounters, planting her firmly, and then taking his time to satisfy himself after a prolonged amount of slow fucking.
Dressing warmly, the couple set out to explore the small drifts of snow, until Brian awoke and they would be ready to open the gifts that surrounded the base of the massive tree. Laughing merrily, Tori pelted her mate with snowballs, and then ran from him as he chased her, knowing he intended to throw her down into white powder in retribution. An incredible morning, she tried not to allow her fears that Michael would send her on the road alone to interfere.
Standing inside the kitchen a short time later, the couple enjoyed hot coffee and the smell of their meal as Stella moved around in the bright warmed air to prepare the dishes. Leaning his rear end against the counter, Michael caught the older woman staring at him, and he gave her a small nod and half grin, which caused her to break into a wide smile, and her face flushed. His heart skipping a beat, he wondered what that had been all about, as he turned his attention back to his wife.
“So, what’s the plan for New Year’s Eve, do you think?” he asked, trying to break the brief connection he had shared with the housekeeper.
Tori sat at the table, going over some sheets of paper, busily working on the lyrics that had been inspired by their outdoor fun. “I don’t really know,” she replied without looking up.
A New Life Series - Finisher Set Page 38
